This year, the Good Friday Collection in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will receive a boost from a cooperative effort between the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and the Franciscan Custody.

The mission of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem has, for more than 900 years, been the protection of Christians in the Holy Land and maintenance of our holy shrines, including the Tomb of Christ. The mission of the Franciscan Custody is to serve the Christian community in the Holy Land, as they have done continuously for almost 800 years since St. Francis of Assisi made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Because the missions of the two organizations are so closely aligned, it is not surprising they have come together for the important cause of the Good Friday Collection. Under the direction of Pope Benedict XVI, the Good Friday Collection is to be taken up in every church worldwide. Proceeds are designated to maintain the holy shrines and, above all, promote the welfare of our Christian brethren through support of schools and social service agencies in the Holy Land.

For the past several years, members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre have been working at a grassroots level by encouraging pastors to make bulletin and pulpit announcements supporting the Good Friday Collection. This effort has been quite successful: Proceeds have increased approximately 10 percent per year for each of the past four years.

This year the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has been selected by the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and the Franciscan Custody for a pilot project that will distribute Good Friday Collection envelopes to all parishes in the archdiocese. The use of collection envelopes has been known to increase collection proceeds by up to 50 percent. This project will be a test of that premise.

Now more than ever, our Christian brothers and sisters need our help --- and involvement. With the current political situation as it is, conditions are dire and outside support is desperately needed.

"We are involved because conditions in the Holy Land are now more pressing and tragic than ever," explains Patrick D. Powers, lieutenant of the Western Region of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. "Because of continued political unrest, Christians living there, the 'living stones,' cannot remain without our financial assistance. Children, in particular, many without parents, see nothing but bleak days ahead."

The Holy Father has charged us with care for the Holy Land Christians, support of the Latin Patriarch and the maintenance of holy shrines, among other things. Every dollar raised in this collection is a dollar raised toward the fulfillment of our mission.

"Since the focus of our Order is on the Tomb of Christ, there is no day that is more appropriate for the Order to be visible than Good Friday," says Powers. "By mobilizing members of our Order on behalf of the Good Friday Collection, and introducing collection envelopes in Los Angeles, we hope to have the most successful Good Friday Collection ever."

Kristina M. Seifert, LHS, is administrator, Western Lieutenancy, of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. For information, contact her at 8141 E. Kaiser Blvd., Suite 300, Anaheim Hills, CA 92808.