The Right Rev Declan Lang, chair of the Department of International Affairs of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, is in the Holy Land with bishops from across Europe and North America.
On Sunday 6 January he was due to visit refugees in Jordan from the Syrian conflict along with other suffering and vulnerable people and communities as one of the focal points of this year’s Holy Land Co-ordination.
Whilst waiting to cross the border into Jordan, he spoke to Trevor Fry on BBC Radio Bristol.
Bishop Declan said that the main aim of the visit was to show the Christian communities of these regions are not forgotten and also to build good relations with people of other faiths.
He said that “the call to justice is not just for Christians, it’s also for many other parts of the population who are suffering from economic disadvantages.”
Bishop Declan said that the fact-finding visit was for the local people:
“[We want them to know] they’ve got support and that their voices have been heard… There is a lot of fear in the country and there is a longing for peace as well and it’s trying to match up that fear with that longing for peace which requires a lot of healing, both individually and the healing of the memory of society too.”
Listen to the interview by clicking at the top right of this page.
