London, May 21, 2014 (Zenit.org)
The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, has written a large check to a UK-based initiative dedicated to caring for Christians in the Holy Land, days ahead of Pope Francis’ pilgrimage to the region.
“This is a magnificent sum, and we cannot thank the Cardinal enough for his kind and thoughtful gesture” said Jim Quinn, chairman for Friends of the Holy Land (FHL) upon receiving £85,000 which was signed over to the charity Tuesday. “Friends of the Holy Land will use it carefully to make a difference to their lives,” he said. “We are deeply touched and inspired by it, and thank him most warmly.”
The money had been given to Cardinal Nichols as a gift from the people of the dioceses of Liverpool, Birmingham and Westminster in honor of his having been created cardinal. He asked for the sum to be offered in his name to the suffering Church in the Holy Land through FHL, which he had helped to found.
FHL is a charity established in England and Wales, supporting and helping Christian people and communities in the Holy Land to ensure the survival of a Christian presence. The number of Christians in the region has steadily declined over the last 70 years amid economic and political pressures.
Quinn says: “We have long benefited from Cardinal Nichols’ encouragement, support and advice, and in fact he was closely involved in our foundation in 2009, when Archbishop of Birmingham. This very generous gift is a further mark of his concern for the Christian people and communities of the Holy Land.”
Holy Land Charity Welcomes UK Prelate’s Large Donation | ZENIT – The World Seen From Rome