“Shepherds Field Olive Wood Handcrafts” from the Holy Land (Bethlehem & Jerusalem) will be selling religious articles after Masses on December 18th, at the Holy Family Center location only, to support the Catholic Christian minorities in Bethlehem. Families in the Holy Land work in small workshops to produce religious articles from olive wood.
They used to sell their artwork to pilgrims who visit the Holy Land. However, these days they are facing an economic hardship, as there are no tourists at all can visit the Holy Land due to pandemic. Many of the Catholic families immigrated and left the Holy Land. The percentage of Christians in the Holy Land has dropped from 20% to less than 1%. The struggle to preserve the Catholic identity of the birthplace of our Savior Jesus Christ is a serious concern for Catholics around the world.
Sales will be used to help and support the Catholics in the Holy Land and to encourage them not to immigrate.” God bless all His people, now & forever.