Jordan: Bishops from 11 countries visit Christian community

Church of Good Shepherd, Amman, Jordan

Source: CBCEW

The annual Holy Land Coordination began on Saturday 14 January, when Bishops from 11 countries gathered in Jordan to meet with the Christian community.

There are more than 200,000 Christians in the country. Its Catholic parishes, schools and social projects form an important part of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

As well as visiting parishioners and young people throughout Jordan, the Bishops will be meeting Christian refugees from Iraq and Syria who have sought sanctuary in the country over recent years. These communities are assisted by the local Church and the Bishops will be returning to some of the projects they have previously visited, to reaffirm the support of the Universal Church.

The Bishops will also be meeting with diplomats and parliamentarians to discuss wider developments across the Holy Land. Jordan plays an important role including hosting more than two million Palestinian refugees and tending holy sites in Jerusalem. The local Catholic Bishops have recently called for efforts to address the increasing violence and political instability in the region, a message that was underscored by Pope Francis in his speech to the diplomatic corps this week.

As always, pilgrimage is a central aspect of the Holy Land Coordination. During their programme, the Bishops will be celebrating Mass at the site of the Baptism of the Lord and exploring how pilgrimages from their own countries can best continue to support the local Christian communities.

On Thursday night, Bishop Nicholas Hudson, Chair of the Holy Land Coordination, concelebrated the ordination of two new priests, in Amman's Church of the Good Shepherd, alongside Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

The Delegates this year are: Rt Rev Nicolo Anselmi, Bishop of Rimini, Italy, Rt Rev Udo Bentz, Auxiliary Bishop of Mainz, Germany, Rt Rev Peter Burcher, Bishop Emeritus of Reykjavik, Iceland, Rt Rev Christopher Chessun, Anglican Bishop of Southwark, Church of England, Rt Rev William Crean Bishop of Cloyne, Ireland, Rt Rev Michel Dubost, Bishop Emeritus of Evry-Corbeil-Essonnes, France Rt Rev Martin Hayes, Bishop of Kilmore, Ireland, Rt Rev Nicholas Hudson, Chair of the HLC, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, England & Wales, Rt Rev David Malloy, Bishop of Rockford, United States of America, Most Rev William Nolan, Archbishop of Glasgow, Scotland, Rt Rev Paul Terrio Bishop Emeritus of St Paul, Alberta, Canada, Most Rev Joan Enric Vives Sicilia, Bishop of Urgell, Spain and Most Rev Cyril Vasil, Bishop of Kosice, Slovakia.

This year's Holy Land Coordination runs from 14 - 19 January 2023.

Since 1998, the Bishops' Conference's Department for International Affairs has organised the annual meeting of the Coordination of Episcopal Conferences in Support of the Church of the Holy Land.

The Holy Land Co-ordination focuses on the three 'P's: Prayer, Pilgrimage and Persuasion. Prayer is the framework of the annual meeting, with daily celebration of the Eucharist, often in different rites. Pilgrimage to the local Catholic communities is always a key part of the visit. The 'Persuasion' component usually occurs when the delegates return to their home countries and share their views with parliamentarians, diplomats and the media on a wide range of issues affecting the lives of Christians in the Holy Land.

LINK

The Holy Land Co Ordination: https://theholyland.org.uk/