From 13 to 18 January: CCCB Representatives Visit Holy Land

Saturday, January 13 2007

Most Reverend Gilles Cazabon, O.M.I., Bishop of Saint-Jérôme, has been delegated by Most Reverend André Gaumond, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), to represent the Bishops of Canada at a meeting in the Holy Land to discuss its future and the numerous problems facing Christians there.

Most Reverend Gilles Cazabon, O.M.I., Bishop of Saint-Jérôme, has been delegated by Most Reverend André Gaumond, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), to represent the Bishops of Canada at a meeting in the Holy Land to discuss its future and the numerous problems facing Christians there.

The meeting is the sixth of its kind to be held in Jerusalem, which holds such historic importance for three major world religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. This is the first meeting Bishop Cazabon will be attending. He is being accompanied by CCCB General Secretary Msgr. Mario Paquette, P.H.

At the invitation of the Bishops of the Holy Land, the Canadian representatives are joining Bishops from the United States and Europe to learn more about the present situation in the Middle East and to demonstrate their solidarity with Christians in Israel and the Palestinian territories. The sites expected to be visited include Bethlehem, Nazareth and Gaza.

There is a possibility the group may meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.