Are you involved with the Church ?

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All my family is christian and I have been going to Sunday's services since I was a kid. I used to be very involved in the youth groups and franciscans marches in Galilee. It was very impressive : young people would come from all over the country. These are very important gatherings and bonds. The christians who live in the Holy Land face daily political and social problems. Youth can find many answers in the Church. 

 

Do you feel part of the Holy Land Church ?

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Yes. And I see that they are trying to be active and attract more people.

 

Does something bother you inside the Church ?

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They tend to close themselves in their buildings, in their churches and monasteries, but they don’t open them for us, the local people. In Nazareth, groups of volunteers from all over the world come to help the Church. They give them a very big and beautiful house, and a lot of facilities. But they are foreigners. Don’t forget the locals. Sometimes we feel like we are the guests here. We cannot easily access their world. 

 

Do you have a dream for the Church ?

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One of our problems is that we lose big numbers of Christians here. I wish that Christian leaders are more active politically, stand for their people. In this country,  you can’t separate politics from religion and daily life. They should be more clear about their status as the Church and encourage the Christians to stay. Many go abroad to study and don’t come back. We don’t have many young people getting married and having children. The Church should support us. Not only with money but by standing for us.

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Interview by Cécile Lemoine