The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-04-25
IN THE HOLY LAND.
Crusaders and Missionaries in the
Cradle of christianity-Work OF
Franciscan College at Mt. ST. Sep
ulchre.

uICTEGs
One of the most important and
most interesting parts of the mission
airy vineyard left to the Church by
her Divine Founder is certainly that
of Palestine. And for reasons patent
to every Christian. The native land
of Jesus, selected before all others
as the Promised Land of the chosen
people of God, illustrated by the awe
inspiring events narrated in the Old
Testament, was raised to a dignity
worthy of singular veneration by the
mysteries of our redemption. That
privileged land is the cradle of Chris
tianity, writes Very Rev. Godfrey
Hunt, o. F. M, in the Catholic Tele-
graph. His words are filled with
more than ordinary interest during
this holy season of Easter.
Love for the Holy Places.
The Christian world has always
loved those holy places, and that love
has taken many forms. 1t has made
tremendous sacrifices to protect
them, especially during the first three
centuries of persecution, when, gath
cred around the Holy Cenacle, the
first Christian church, it preserved for
posterity the memory of the scenes
of our Lords passion and death. La
ter the same love covered the land
with monasteries and basilicas, and
erected oratories over the places
sanctified by the gospel events. 1t
strove through many centuries, de-
spite the difficulties, almost unsur'
mountable, to keep the light of faith
around the spots hallowed by the
presence of the Man-God.
There was time when the needs
of the holy places were munificently
supplied by the royalty of Catholic
Europe. Kings, queens and other per
sons of distinction We'd with one an
other in succoring the sacred shrines
of Palestine. But this noble spirit
has almost entirely disappeared, and
today, the hope of the safety and
care of the holy places lies in the
common people.
For any Christian, whose faith
holds within it spark of life, there
is no place more dear than the Holy
Land 1t is the great shrine of the
Saviour; it is where He fulfilled Gods
solemn promise to man with the
great sacrifice of His love.
Cause of the Crusaders.
When we give thought to this, We
can understand the feeling that was
the cause of the Crusades, and know
what made men so willing and glaC
to give up everything, home and kin
money and friends, glad to undergo
hardships and even to die for thu
sake of our Lord and the Holy Land
1t was their living faith, their burn
ing love for the Saviour, that fi4leC
everything they did. And this sam
faith must be with us today, if w
are to be true followers of Christ
The Jews when in captivity sighet
after Sion and mourned for their ia
therland. Even now many of then
go to Jerusalem that they may di
there. The schismatics of all kind
have a great love for the Holy Land
and vie with others in getting int,
their hands those places that 81
many Catholics neglect. The Rus
slams have literally sown churches
chapels and schools all through Pa
estine, and the government has es
tablished a Palestine Society, t.
which hundreds of thousands belon
and contribute their offerings for tn
rescue of the land of our Lord. The
send thousands of pilgrims out yeal
ly, and by a silent crusade take pos
session of the places only too nue.
abandoned by worldly Catholics, VIII
build beautiful homes for themselves
but forget to maintain the house o
their Saviour and King.
Yet see how great is the wealth O
good works that the Holy Churcl
holds out for those who aid the Hol
Land. Forty Popes, the last of them
the present Holy Father, have raise
their voices in behalf of the shrines
beseeching the faithful not to forge
them. Some excuse themselves say
ing that they have plenty to do a
home. But the Holy Land belong
to the whole Church and must b
looked after in the same way that tn
needs of home charities are cared fol
since it, too, is a home charity, TO
Jesus home is also our home. Tn
glory of the Saviour must be upheld
at every cost. If we, of all men, neg
lect the Holy Land, we are migrate
full children, who do not take to hear
the honor of our Father.
The Mission of the Holy Land.
The Mission of the Holy Land i
not single charity; it comprises a
most every charity known. 1t sus
tains schools, colleges, trades-school
and orphan asylums; cares for tn
poor, provides for pilgrims; it is tn
means of the conversion of schi:
mates and heretics; it POUNDS neV
missions and builds churches; it pre-
serves the sanctuaries; it keeps aliv
the faith in Palestine, the home G
our Lord; it keeps up the due dig
nifty and beauty of the service of Go
in the midst of unbelievers. 1t is, j
a word, the very essence and gem c
all charities.
The Commissariat.
It is to provide for the needs of tn