As many of you know, every year at Christmas we take up a special collection for charity. None of the money collected stays at St. Mary, but is distributed as a gift from our Parish to different charities. The collection this year will be taken up on December 2 and December 3 and has been designated for the following charity:

The Holy Land Christians Society for the support of the presence of the Christian communities in the Holy Land and for the benefit of the Creche Orphanage in Bethlehem. The orphanage, managed by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, has a long history in Bethlehem and has welcomed abandoned children since its foundation in 1884. The Crèche provides services of high quality for Palestinian children and people in the West Bank area and continues to function thanks to the support of its benefactors. In times of crisis and violence, a Christ-like response is paramount. Christians in the Holy Land are the hands and feet of Christ, promoting peace, courage, and love. They are the “living stones” who embody Christ’s work in the Holy Land and continued support for their presence is important.

We know you will be generous, as you have always been, and we thank you for sharing the joy of this holy season with those who are less fortunate. All checks should be made payable to St. Mary.