Br MARCELO CICHINELLI, ofm
HL Commissioners Coordination Office
"The first definition of Commissioners is this: they are bridges, they are ambassadors between the Holy Land and the local churches, the churches throughout the world, and as bridges they connect Christians from all over the world to the Custody of the Holy Land."
A service to the Custody of the Holy Land that has very ancient origins.
The Commissioners were instituted in 1421 by Pope Martin V, while in more recent times, it was Pope Paul Vi who reconfirmed their role.
Today there are 84 Commissariates of the Holy Land in 44 countries. The Friars Minor committed to this service are 101.
There are four major tasks to which the Commissioners are called: the knowledge of the Holy Land and the invitation to the creative promotion of both the sacred places and the tragedies that inhabit this land; the need for people working for peace; the creation of initiatives of prayer and awareness for peace; and finally, the continuation of the guide to the pilgrimage and the promotion of the Pontifical Pro Terra Santa Collection.
Br MARCELO CICHINELLI, ofm
HL Commissioners Coordination Office
"Their work develops first of all concretely in the promotion of the knowledge of the holy places. Secondly, in promoting aid to the mission of the Middle East. The Custody of the Holy Land is supported by the Commissioners, by the promotion they do in different parts of the world both for the sanctuaries, for the stones of memory, but also for the living stones, the Christians of the Middle East.
It was 2018, when all the Commissioners of the Holy Land gathered in Jerusalem for the IV International Congress, with the theme: pastoral care of pilgrimages, hospitality, memory, evangelization."
Br JORGE ARMANDO TABORDA MONSALVE, ofm
Commissioner Colombia
"The Latin American people feel, vibrate, manifest their faith in Jesus. We Commissioners accompany this reality. We live in the midst of a people with much faith, who want to manifest their faith, who sincerely live their faith and collaborate with the work of the Holy Land."
Br ROBERT JOHN ABADA, ofm
Deputy - Commissioner Philippines
"My primary responsibility is to animate the Commissariate so that it can act as a connection between the Custody of the Holy Land, the Franciscans of the Philippines and the local church in particular with the different dioceses."
Br FRANCESCO IELPO, ofm
Commissioner Northern Italy
"So we are working intensively to strengthen the relationship with the bishops, with the parishes, to promote Good Friday pilgrimages and the Good Friday collection, but above all we care about making the Holy Land known and loved".
Br MICHAEL PERRY, ofm
Minister General Order Friars Minor
"Of the presence of the friars here in the Holy Land, we must keep in mind that the mission continues, God's mission to welcome people, to accompany them, to be brothers to everyone in the Holy Land is still going on. And this message to the whole world starts from the Holy Land and what God has made available for the future of humanity is very positive and gives hope for the future much more than what we see today".
This year, because of the pandemic, the pro terra sancta collection has been moved to September 13, the eve of the feast of the Feast of the Cross.
Br MARCELO CICHINELLI, ofm
HL Commissioners Coordination Office
"Difficulties this year are as peculiar as in any part of the world. But charity, which has always prevailed over difficulties, is based on hope: it ensures that we are willing to help, that we continue to ask for and to trust in Providence, in the love of people all over the world in sustaining this mission which is much tried and tested. There are no pilgrims, Christians in the world cannot come to the Holy Land, but the activities continue, the support for the Shrines continues, the support for the communities continues so the needs are the same but the help.... We trust that even beyond the difficulties, aid will continue to arrive!"
FIND THE NEAREST COMMISSARIATE HERE: www.custodia.org/en/commissariats
