As students head back to school this fall, many Catholic families take a moment to pray for their children’s safety, growth and success. In parishes around the world, you’ll see backpacks lined up in front of the altar, students receiving blessings from their pastors and parents asking God to guide their children in the year ahead.
For families in the Holy Land, the start of school is also a time for prayer — but it’s often overshadowed by a very different reality. Many Christian families there face the hard truth that they cannot afford tuition, uniforms and books for their children. Without help, some of these children will miss out on the education they need to build a stable future, forcing families to leave the region in search of better opportunities.
That’s where the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land (FFHL) steps in. Through Christian Student Education Programs — including university scholarships, high school and elementary education, music education and vocational training — FFHL helps Christian students receive the education they need, so they can remain in the land where our faith began.
Why Back-to-School Blessings Matter
A blessing isn’t just a nice tradition. In the Catholic faith, it’s a call for God’s protection and guidance over the person being blessed. When we pray for students, we’re asking God to watch over their learning, friendships and daily challenges.
Here’s a simple prayer you can say with your family as the school year begins:
Lord, bless our students with wisdom, patience and courage. Keep them safe from harm, help them grow in knowledge and guide them to live with kindness and faith each day.
Praying for students in your own home and parish is important. But our Catholic faith calls us to think beyond our local community. In Matthew 25, Jesus reminds us that what we do for “the least of these” — those in need — we do for Him. That includes students in the Holy Land whose futures depend on the generosity of others.
The Reality for Christian Students in the Holy Land
At the beginning of the 20th century, Christians made up about 25% of the population in the Holy Land. Today, they account for less than 2%. One major reason for this decline is the lack of access to quality education. Without it, Christians face limited job opportunities, financial instability and pressure to leave their homeland.
The cost of Christ-centered education in the Holy Land is far beyond what most Christian families can afford. A full seven years of primary school tuition, uniforms and books cost more than $3,500. For a family already struggling to meet basic needs, this amount is impossible to manage.
FFHL exists to change that reality. By providing scholarships and sponsorships, donors help break the cycle of poverty, allowing young Christians to build careers, support their families and remain in the place where Jesus lived, died and rose.
How FFHL’s Education Programs Make a Difference
When you give to FFHL’s education programs, you’re not just covering school expenses. You’re investing in the stability of the Christian presence in the Holy Land.
Elementary and high school program makes it possible for children to receive support for their education, including school tuition, books and uniforms.
University Scholarships allow students with strong academic potential — but no financial means — to complete a four-year degree. Since 1997, hundreds of Christian students have graduated through this program and gone on to build stable careers in their homeland.
Magnificat Institute Music Scholarships help students learn music, connect with others across religious and cultural divides and develop skills that can lead to teaching or performance opportunities.
Vocational Scholarships give students hands-on training in a trade, plus the tools they need to start working right away. These scholarships open the door to immediate employment and long-term stability.
Each of these programs directly addresses one of the main causes of Christian emigration: the lack of economic opportunity. By helping students complete their education, donors make it possible for families to stay rooted in the Holy Land.
A Back-to-School Prayer for Students in the Holy Land
As you pray for your own children or grandchildren heading back to school, consider adding this prayer for Christian students in the Holy Land:
Heavenly Father, bless the children and young adults of the Holy Land. Give them the chance to learn, grow and serve You in their own homeland. Protect their families from hardship and guide them to a future filled with hope and stability. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
When we bring these students to God in prayer, we connect our families to theirs in a powerful way. Prayer opens our hearts to the needs of others — and often leads us to take action.
How You Can Take Action
Prayer is the foundation, but action keeps those prayers moving forward. Supporting FFHL’s Education Programs is a direct way to make sure Christian students in the Holy Land can stay in school.
For example:
- A gift of $3,500 can cover seven years of primary school for one child.
- A gift of $6,000 can pay for a year of university tuition and books.
- Smaller monthly gifts can still provide uniforms, supplies or a share of tuition for students in need.
Even if you can’t give at these levels, any contribution makes a difference. Every book purchased, every tuition payment covered and every instrument provided to a music student moves us closer to keeping the Christian community strong in the Holy Land.
You can also share FFHL’s mission with others in your parish or prayer group. Host a “Back-to-School Prayer Night” where you pray for students locally and globally. Include information about FFHL and how people can support Christian education in the Holy Land.
Why This Matters for the Future of Christianity
The Holy Land is more than a place we visit on pilgrimage — it’s where Christianity began. Without a strong Christian presence there, the churches, holy sites and traditions we treasure risk becoming museums rather than living communities of faith.
When we invest in education, we’re not just helping one student. We’re helping that student’s family, future children and community. As one former scholarship recipient, Carine Koussa, shared:
“As a result of the education I received from my scholarship, not only will I improve my own life, but also the life of my children and future generations.”
Back-to-school blessings remind us of what’s possible when students have the tools and support they need. By extending that same care to students in the Holy Land, we give them, and their communities, a reason to stay and thrive.
