Advent and Christmas 2024 Drive for Bethlehem

Province Announcement

(New Rochelle, NY – November 7) – In announcing the Jubilee Year 2025, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, urged members of the Church "to be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind" (“Hope does not disappoint” - Papal Bull of Indiction, announcing Jubilee Year 2025, #10).

The Salesian Family, through the service of Salesian Missions of New Rochelle, has been providing for the daily needs of people in many parts of the world over the years. Recently, with the help of generous benefactors and various programs, Salesian Missions has assisted members of the Salesian Family on the ground to offer some signs of hope to our suffering brothers and sisters in Ukraine, Bethlehem, Lebanon, Uganda, South Sudan, and many other places.

For this Advent and the Christmas season, we invite the Salesian Family in our province to be "tangible signs of hope" for the young people and their families who are served by the Salesians in Bethlehem.

Due to the war, Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem were canceled in 2023 and will again be canceled this year.

The Salesians in Bethlehem are asking for $7,000 U.S. to organize Masses and Christmas celebrations for 200 children plus their leaders.

Surplus donations will be sent to the Salesian bakery, also in Bethlehem, which was founded in the 1890s, and today provides free bread for over 700 people daily.

Please consider some fundraising projects with our young people and members of your parish, school, and youth center community to contribute to this drive.

Please send monetary donations to Salesian Missions.

Checks should be issued to Salesian Missions, 2 Lefevre Lane, New Rochelle, NY 10801-5710.

Click here for credit card payments.

May our world know the peace of the Emmanuel.

Fr. Dominic Tran, SDB
Provincial

Fr. Michael Conway, SDB
Director – Salesian Missions

Read the original PDF of this letter.