The 12th Latin American Congress of the Commissioners of the Holy Land concluded on Saturday 26 August in Sao Paulo. The main objective was to update and revitalise the way of life and evangelisation for the promotion of the Holy Places. The Congress was attended by 21 Franciscans from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Honduras, Colombia, Guatemala, Spain and Paraguay. Br LUIZ QUINTANA,ofm President of the Commissioners of Spain and Portugal The main mission of the Commissioners is to make the Holy Land and the Holy Places known: to send pilgrims but also to accompany them on pilgrimages, to send donations collected from the places from which we come. We will kneel at the feet of Our Lady of Aparecida; we will go on pilgrimage to Her and trust that our Mother Mary will help us from heaven. A special day in the Congress programme was a visit to the National Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida, patron saint of Brazil, and the Shrine of Frei Galvão, Franciscan and Brazil's first saint. The visit to the Basilica was one of the last acts of the Congress: on Friday the group of Commissioners was welcomed with great affection. The visit ended with the celebration of Holy Mass. Br JOSÉ DE JESUS, ofm Commissioner of Mexico Is there anything better than ending like this with a visit to our Mother, the Virgin Mary of Aparecida? For us it is a wonderful experience to be able to meet Her in this place that is so important for all Brazilians and for the whole of Latin America. Every detail of the sanctuary was memorised by the friars Br EDGAR ALVES, ofm President of the Commissioners of Brazil When we are here, in our Mother's house, we clearly perceive Our Lady putting herself at the service, at the service of humanity to bring mankind closer to her son Jesus. Br SILVIO DE LA FUENTE, ofm Coordinator Commissioners of the Holy Land We cannot hold a congress, we cannot meet, without thanking the Virgin Mary for all the graces she always gives us. Along the way, the Franciscans went to the hall of candles, where thousands of the faithful address their prayers and supplications to Our Lady Aparecida. Br JOÃO CARLOS KARLING, ofm South Rio Grande Commissioner It is She who welcomes the Word, deepens the communication of the Father, and Her Son, the communicator par excellence, sends us to every corner of the world to communicate and proclaim the Word. Br José Manuel, from Colombia, emphasises the presence of the Holy Spirit and the evangelising action of the Commissioners. Br JOSÉ MANUEL ORTEGA LOPEZ,ofm Commissioner Colombia The Holy Spirit always urges the believer to do good, to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus, but above all to live it with joy, with hope. Latin America is very supportive of the Holy Land because most Christians are Catholics who deeply love Jesus and likewise the place where He was born and started the Kingdom of God. For us Latin Americans, this is very significant, which is why the Good Friday Collection, which we do with all our heart, is for the maintenance, sustenance and social works we have in the Holy Land. The Commissioners of the Holy Land were then warmly received by Brother Diego Atalino, Rector of the Fra Galvão Shrine. The Shrine's mission is to promote devotion to Brother Galvão to all people by offering experiences of faith and full mercy, in the light of Franciscan spirituality. For Cardinal Orani Tempesta, Metropolitan Archbishop of São Sebastião in Rio de Janeiro, "what strikes in the Holy Land is the affection and responsibility that Franciscans have for the Holy Places. H. E. Card. ORANI TEMPESTA Metropolitan Archbishop of São Sebastião de Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) I have been to the Holy Land many times since I was a priest, where I could really get to know and visit the Holy Places, and recently, when I came here to Rio de Janeiro, we planned to make a spiritual retreat of all the clergy of my diocese to the Holy Land. A slightly different visit, not just to get to know the Holy Places, but to pray, to stay in the Holy Places. One of the things that struck us most during our pilgrimage was the affection and responsibility that Franciscans have for the Holy Places. In addition to preserving the Holy Places, as well as welcoming people, they are also very helpful. For example, as in a spiritual retreat, where in little more than a week you see the Holy Places, but you pray, you have the opportunity to celebrate, to reflect. It is indeed a very beautiful vocation, one that began with St Francis of Assisi, with that concern for the Holy Places of the Holy Land, a mission that the Franciscans carry on. I congratulate you and wish you to continue always in this mission, in this openness and in this affection towards the Holy Places because your presence helps us to pray, to know these historical places where Jesus passed, so that we can then return to our communities and our homes and live our experience of faith.