Pope sends funds to Holy Land Catholics

Christian Century, Nov 20, 2002

Pope John Paul II is sending emergency aid to the dwindling Catholic population of the Holy Land, along with an appeal to all Christians to remain like heroic missionaries there. The Vatican sent a special papal envoy in early November from the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, which coordinates Catholic aid worldwide, to Jerusalem and Palestinian cities with $400,000 to be distributed by Catholic communities. The funds were collected in an appeal the pope made after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon for aid to victims of war and terrorism.

"In various meetings, the Holy Father's envoy will, above all, encourage Christians to remain in these tormented places as so many missionaries already are doing in a heroic way," said a Vatican announcement on November 6. "Houses of hospitality for pilgrims are empty while unemployment in Bethlehem has hit some 80 percent of the population," the council said. "One can well understand, therefore, the desire of many to leave the country."

But the council warned that a Christian exodus would seriously endanger the safeguarding of the Holy Places. It said the Palestinian occupation of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem for 39 days last April and May "gave further proof of how necessary is the presence of Christians in the Holy Land."--RNS