Child Sponsorship Program
“To such as these does the Kingdom of God Belong”
Matthew 19:14
A candle will be lit at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem
in the name of every sponsor.
 Education has always been a part of the Church’s mission in raising up the next generation in Christ and in preserving the Christian faith. In the Holy Land where Christians are a small segment of the population, living under difficult economic situation in an environment that is often hostile, these schools play a critical role in preserving the Christian community.
If Catholic schools are forced to close Christian children would be obliged to attend public schools, where they would be surrounded by non-Christian influences, where Sundays are school days and where no Christian religious education is provided.
 The children in the Holy Land need our help to secure their future and offer them hope for a better tomorrow. Christian schools in the Holy Land instill Christian values while teaching skills that hold out real hope of fulfilling a productive life in their community. But due to the desperate economic conditions many families cannot afford to send their children to these schools. With an average monthly income of only $300 and the annual cost of sending a child to school is about $700, the families of the Holy Land clearly need outside assistance. You can help by sponsoring a child for only $25 a month or by making a one time donation for any amount earmarked for the Catholic schools in the Holy Land.
You can help by sponsoring a child or by making a donation earmarked for the Catholic schools.
What is Child Sponsorship Program?
HCEF’s Child Sponsorship Program functions in direct support of the work of the local church of Jerusalem, and ensures that the children receive authentic Catholic catechetical instruction in a safe educational environment. At the same time, it creates a living bridge of solidarity between Holy Land Christians and their brothers and sisters in the United States.
What is The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF’s Child Sponsorship Program?
The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) operates the Child Sponsorship Program on behalf of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem (Roman Catholic Diocese of Jerusalem)to ensure that the Christian children and of the Holy Land will be well prepared to shape their future from the solid foundation of a Catholic education and to maintain the presence of our Christian heritage.
What is the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem (LPJ)? (Click Here)
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem (LPJ), the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jerusalem that extends over Palestine, Israel, Jordan and Cyprus, was originally established in l846. With the founding of its first rural parish in Beit Jala in Bethlehem area, Palestine in 1853, the Patriarchate also launched its Catholic education program based in parish schools. As soon as a parish was founded, a school followed. Today, the schools continue to be key extensions of the Church’s spiritual efforts.
The Church of Jerusalem: The Mother Church
What is the LPJ Catholic schools? (Click Here)
These Latin Patriarchate schools provide children and youth with the best hope for a brighter future - a sound education rooted in their Catholic heritage. Through its K-12 schools, the Patriarchate is committed to offering quality instruction to all boys and girls, regardless of their family’s economic situation. To fulfil this brave and generous commitment the Latin Patriarchate subsidizes the tuition costs of Christian students in need, despite suffering a substantial net loss on its schools. The Latin Patriarchate currently has a network of 43 schools and provides opportunities for close to 18,000 young people throughout Jordan, Palestine, and Israel to learn and grow.
Who are these Christian children?
After two thousand years, Christian families are still living and worshiping in the land where Jesus was born, died, and was resurrected. These Christians are not immigrants. They are not converts from Judaism or Islam. These Children are the sons and daughters of descendents of those who first believed in Jesus Christ. They live in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and other places in the Occupied Territories and Israel. Together, they comprise the Mother Church.
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