Invite Holylands: questions pastors ask
Trusted by pastors and church leaders
Parishes across the United States have welcomed Holylands Arts after Mass. There is no cost to the parish, and letters and endorsements from bishops and church leaders are available upon request.
Easy to host
We bring the olive-wood art. The parish provides a table after Mass and a brief introduction, if allowed.
No parish cost
There is no fee and no percentage paid by the parish. Sales directly support Christian families in Bethlehem and Shepherds’ Field.
Letters available
We can provide supporting letters and endorsements for the pastor or chancery, including letters connected with dioceses where this ministry has served.
“Ward’s words to the parish were brief and insightful. The products that they offer are beautiful, simple, and popular with our parishioners. Hosting Holylands Arts is an effortless way of supporting our Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land. I happily recommend them to any parish.”
— Most Rev. Godfrey Mullen, OSB, Bishop of Belleville (then Rector of St. Benedict Cathedral, Evansville)
Pastor Kit (1-page PDF)
One page for the pastor or chancery: what a weekend looks like, what the parish provides, and how to book. Bulletin and pulpit copy: after a weekend is booked, we email a link to the bulletin page about four weeks before the visit.
This PDF is the kit. This page answers common pastor questions.
Email wardq@theholylands.org or call (314) 312-2033. Tell us the parish, city, and a month that works.
Parishes and dioceses
Holylands Arts has been welcomed in many parishes across the United States. Supporting letters and endorsements are available for the pastor or the chancery.
Letters and endorsements include:
Diocese of Belleville
Diocese of Evansville (including St. Benedict Cathedral)
Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
Archdiocese of Atlanta
Mayor of Bethlehem and Mayor of Beit Sahour (Shepherds’ Field)
Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
East Jerusalem YMCA
and more
Read some of the letters on the homepage under Reflections.
What does a weekend look like?
You choose the weekend, or we suggest a few dates. Ward Qumsieh is on site for Saturday vigil and Sunday Masses. After Mass there is a table of hand-carved olive-wood religious art from Catholic families in Bethlehem. We accept cash, card, and check. Bible study is optional and by request, but it is very popular. If you want it, Ward speaks and takes questions there.
Set up before Mass
What do you need from the parish?
A table after Mass near the exit (about 8–10 feet), and a few minutes for Ward to be introduced, if you allow it. You choose the weekend. We bring the art. There is no cost to the parish.
We do not block the doors. People stop if they wish; others walk by.
Is there a cost to the parish?
No. The parish does not pay a fee or a percentage. The sale after Mass supports Christian families in Bethlehem and Shepherds’ Field so they can keep their workshops and stay in Palestine.
Do we need diocesan approval?
Many pastors check with the chancery first. When we have a current bishop endorsement for your diocese, we send a supporting letter to the pastor or the chancery. Tell us your diocese, and we will let you know what we can provide.
This letter helps the pastor or chancery approve the weekend.
Who comes?
Ward Qumsieh, a Christian born in Bethlehem, founder of Holylands Arts. He comes from a native Catholic and Orthodox background and represents the apostolic tradition of an ancient family whose ancestors have been in the Holy Land for a millennium. He represents more than 500 Catholic families in Bethlehem and Shepherds’ Field.
What is on the table?
Hand-carved olive-wood religious art: nativities, crosses, rosaries, Holy Family pieces, and other work from the same workshops. The wood is from pruning. No tree is cut down for it. We accept cash, card, and check.
Will Ward speak?
If the parish allows it, Ward speaks for a couple of minutes during the announcements. Bible study with questions is optional and by request, and it is very popular. After Mass, he is at the table.
How do we invite you?
Write wardq@theholylands.org, call (314) 312-2033, or use the invite form on theholylands.org. Tell us the parish, the city, a contact, and a month that works.
Can we pick the dates?
Yes. You choose the weekend, or we suggest a few dates. We don’t offer weekends Dec 24 through Jan 14. Jan 15 onward is fine.
Can you send bulletin and pulpit copy?
Yes. After a weekend is booked, we email a link to the bulletin and pulpit copy page about four weeks before the visit: https://www.theholylands.org/bulletin. Copy is also on the homepage for the secretary.
Is there an online shop?
No. The work is at the parish table, and we also mail items to your doorstep.