Pilgrimages to the Holy Land
Save the Date!
A pilgrimage to the Holy Land has been arranged for our members. The dates are March 1-12, 2009. Specific will be provided to members.
A Christian Duty
"The presence of pilgrims amounts to a completion of the natural community in the Holy Land. Pilgrims should always come, even in the difficult times, because they belong to the land as Christians. They have to be present as we are present. We are a small community of Christians here, but the thousands of pilgrims in the world who form a daily presence here in normal times are an integral part of the Christian presence in the Holy Land."
- His Beatitude Michel Sabbah
Come and fear not...
Where there's a will there's a way...
Come and do not delay...
How many thousands of men and women of great faith and holiness came to visit the Holy Land in the past centuries. The threats, wars, attacks, every kind of hardship and danger always existed. Nevertheless, they came to Jerusalem. Now, for three years and a half, the Holy Land has no pilgrims or only a few. The streets are almost empty, and the local people have lost hope and are in despair because they are forsaken and forgotten by the world. Why? It isn't because the danger has increased, but it is the flame of love in the hearts of people that weakens and wanes. It isn't that violence increases, rather faith fades. It isn't so much the war that creates anger, rather egoism reigns. It isn't terrorism that frightens us, rather true love is wanting. It isn't that the conditions of the journey have changed; on the contrary, it is our interest that deviated. It isn't because the cost has increased, rather the leisure has blinded our minds and hearts.
In the past, the Jews of Diaspora used to greet each other saying, "next year in Jerusalem." The Muslims use to consider the pilgrimage to Mecca and Jerusalem one of the five pillars of faith...And Christians, why don't they take action? From Jerusalem Jesus used to remind us of the supreme commandment of love by saying, "I'm cold...I'm hungry...I'm thirsty...I'm sick...I'm in prison...I'm homeless. All this because you are absent. The lack of pilgrims contributes to building up walls of hatred, vengeance and grudges in the hearts of the two peoples.
Jesus' love bids us to destroy walls and to build bridges and His Holiness the Pope John Paul II reiterates this teaching. The best bridge is that of human presence, which is warm, loving and continuous.
There is only one true solution: come to visit the Holy Land in large numbers of pilgrims...come continuously...come for the sake of love...come for the sake of faith...come for the sake of human solidarity. This is the only true way to build up peace in hearts and between peoples.
Your presence will help to give hope and trust to local people, to give them dignity and honor and to recover their identity. Your presence will help them to get rid of injustice and violence. Your presence will help them to build up their own lives and consequently their own society.
Don Aldo Tolotto
Chargé of the Holy See for the PINDJC
Cultural Attaché for Vatican Embassy
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