Parishes in the LA Archdiocese are being asked to hold an emergency second collection to help Christians in the Holy Land affected by the ongoing war in Gaza.
“In solidarity with our suffering brothers and sisters, Archbishop [José H.] Gomez has asked all parishes to consider conducting a nonmandatory special collection during the weekends of March 2-3 and March 9-10, 2024,” read a Feb. 20 message to parishes and archdiocesan staff from Father Jim Anguiano, the archdiocese’s vicar general and moderator of the Curia, and Msgr. Terrance L. Fleming, executive director of the archdiocese’s Mission Office.
Funds collected from parish Masses on both weekends will go to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA), a papal aid foundation that supports humanitarian and pastoral campaigns in the Middle East and surrounding regions including Eastern Europe and Northern Africa.