Welcome to the Friends of the Holy Land

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Catenian AssociationWharfedale Circle

• Welcome to the Friends of the Holy Land
• ..... an introduction

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The Next Few Minutes

• Background to the Holy Land
• The challenges for the Christians in the Holy
  Land
• The FHL background and objectives
• FHL projects humanitarian aid
• How you can help
• Questions

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The Holy Land
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Jerusalem (Old City)
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Jerusalem
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Bethlehem the Church of the Nativity
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Bethlehem 2011
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Christian Population

• 340,000 Christians in the region
• Less than 2
• Bethlehem - reduced from 80 to 20
• Jerusalem - 400,000 Jews
• - 400,000 Muslims
• - 10,000 Christians
• The Christian population is declining

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What are the challenges for the Christians in the
Holy Land?

• Restricted ability to travel
• 28 unemployment
• Financial plight below the poverty line
• Those remaining find it difficult to make a
  living
• Many are moving away
• Lack of awareness of their difficulties

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What needs to be done?

• Strengthen their position to keep Christianity in
  the Holy Land
• Create an environment where our Christian
  brothers sisters can be self sufficient
• Give them a reason to stay in the Holy Land

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What do they need?

• Support
• Prayers
• Visits (pilgrimages)
• Financial support (Humanitarian aid, supporting
  projects, facilitating the export of goods)
• Self Respect
• Outlets for what they produce
• To be self sufficient/able to work
• Greater Awareness
• Of their problems

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Hence ........ The Friends of the Holy Land

• A Charity established in England Wales
• based on Parish Groups of Friends working
• together to support the Christian
• Community in the Holy Land

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How did we get here?

• Concept started with pilgrimages to the Holy Land
  from 2000 onwards
• Consultation with, and involvement of, the
  Bishops Conference of England Wales
• Registered as a Charity in 2009
• Patrons
• The Most Rev. Vincent Nichols
• The Most Rev. Patrick Kelly
• The Most Rev. Bernard Longley

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Objectives of the FHL

• For the Christian Community in the Holy Land
• To raise awareness of the difficulties they are
  facing
• To encourage and to provide for prayers to be
  offered for their intentions
• To give financial support to aid their well-being

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How do we achieve our objectives?

• Through FHL Parish Groups
• Based on the SVP model
• Through a National Structure
• Catholic Bishops Conference of England Wales
• National FHL Office and National Committee
• Supporting FHL Parish Groups
• Parish Clergy
• Friends

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What FHL Parish Groups do

• Support objectives of awareness, prayer and
  providing financial support.
• Meet monthly with guideline agenda
• Run fund raising events
• Spread the word through pulpit presentations
• Sell olive wood and other items made in the Holy
  Land, providing income employment
• Support Projects the Widows Mite Fund
• Encourage pilgrimage to the Holy Land

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Range of FHL Projects

• House repair, providing local employment
• Distribution of blankets, heaters, medicines,
  food parcels
• School projects
• Establishment support of a Day Care Centre
  St. Marthas House
• Care Repair programme for families

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More FHL Projects

• Provision of transport for the elderly and infirm
• Sponsor students through their education at
  School or University
• Fund Parish/community activities
• ie. summer schools/youth clubs
• Fund small self-help projects

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Projects/Humanitarian Aid
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Projects/Humanitarian Aid
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Projects/Humanitarian Aid

• I have never got a present on Christmas day and
  now I did. Thanks God after seventy years I have
  someone who cares for me
• I hope that God will increase the Christians all
  over the world and keep the Christians of the
  Holy Land in their Land forever
• Now that I feel there is a loving God in the
  sky
• My illness is gone in this moment, thank you so
  much
• May God help them as they helped us

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On the Ground Support and Contacts

• Centrally through the Latin Patriarchate
• Direct through Parish Priests
• Through the coordination of three Parishes
• Through personal contacts on the ground

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How can you help ?

• Support an FHL Group in your Parish
• Request a pulpit presentation. Arrange a meeting
• Read our brochure/newsletter. Visit our website
  www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk
• Complete a friends registration form to keep
  you informed of progress, locally and nationally
• Become an ambassador for the FHL
• Make your friends family aware of the FHL
• Consider joining the next Catenian Pilgrimage to
  the Holy Land 19 - 29 March 2012.
• Pray and donate as much as you are able

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Opportunities to donate to the FHL

• Complete a donation form
• Consider planned giving through a regular
  standing order
• Gift aid if you are a UK tax payer
• Collect small change in your own olive wood crib
  box
• Request donations to the FHL in lieu of presents
  at your next celebration!
• Provide a legacy to the FHL in your Will

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Your FHL Contacts

• National Chairman Dr. Michael Whelan
• National Vice Chairman Peter Rand
• Honorary Secretary Peter Horgan
• FHL General Manager Sean Higgins
• 2 Station Road, Kenilworth, Warks. CV8 1FP
• Telephone [phone]
• Email friendsoftheholyland_at_btconnect.com
• Website www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk

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Thank you Any questions?