| ROME, MAY 1, 2003- The Italian
bishops' conference appealed to ecclesial communities
to renew pilgrimages to the Holy Places, and urged
businessmen, artisans and labor unions to initiate
programs of cooperation with Christians there.
Bishop Giuseppe Betori, secretary-general
of the Episcopal conference, made the appeals
at the conclusion of the Italian prelates'
pilgrimage of solidarity to the Holy Land,
from April 22-25.
Over the past five years, the Italian bishops'
conference has allocated almost 5 million euros
($5.5 million) to fund programs of assistance,
education and formation in the Holy Land. The
money came from a 0.8% income tax that Italians
may allocate to the Catholic Church.
The prelates extended an invitation "to
pilgrims, whom the war has kept away, to return
to the land of Jesus" and "in this
way support the local Christians, who are faced
with a thousand difficulties," Bishop
Betori said.
At the end of the closing Mass in the Basilica
of Gethsemane, concelebrated by Latin-rite
Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem and the
Italian bishops, the conference secretary-general
said that the situation in the Holy Land has
been normalized.
He suggested: "It would be desirable
that all dioceses organize a pilgrimage to
the Holy Land in the forthcoming months. ...
Christians of the Holy Land represent all of
us; we cannot leave them alone."
"Thank you for coming to pray with us
for Jerusalem," said Patriarch Sabbah
during his homily. "We support you with
our prayer, because the mother Church of Jerusalem
prays for all the Churches of the world."
Courtesy of ZENIT.
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