“The least among you.” The Custos of the Holy Land in Bethlehem”

“Whatever you do to the least among you, you did it to me.”

Among the streets of Bethlehem, the words of the Gospel take on a new life and are filled with faces, stories and specific locations.

The Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Patton, had the opportunity to fulfill the purpose of his visit: getting acquainted with the various activities of the Franciscan Social Services Office in the Palestinian city, which he visited with the secretary Brother David Grenier. The Office of Social Services of the Holy Land Custody was founded in 2008.

In coordination with the ProTerra Sancta Association, the mission of the Franciscan Social Services Office is to give tangible and continuous assistance to families and people of Bethlehem in difficulty, primarily related to medical emergencies and special needs.

Many are the entities involved and the projects at stake:
-A new guest house, whose first guests should arrive for Christmas, anticipating the official opening that will take place next spring.
-The traditional Palestinian Art Museum.
-The Antonian Society, supported by a CEI project for the elderly in the city. The residence home houses 26 elderly, while another 40 seniors visit the day center three times a week to sing, to pray and to eat together.

To support the ongoing projects, just visit the web site: www.proterrasancta.org.

Source: Christian Media Center-Custodia Terra Sancta