Urgent Need
For Peace
International Conference of Bishops
and Church Representatives in Bethlehem and Jerusalem
January 15, 2004
Brother Vincent
Malham, President-Vice Chancellor of Bethlehem University, welcomed the Universal
Bishops’ Conference to the University on Sunday, 11 January. Brother Vincent
expressed gratitude to the Bishops for their presence among us in the Holy Land as “a
sign of hope for people here.”
In coordination
with the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land, Bishops and other Church
representatives from Europe and the Americas held a four-day series of meetings and
on-site visits in the Holy Land. Bethlehem University was honored to host “The
Universal Church in Solidarity with the Church of the Holy Land” conference on-campus
for their meetings with each other, students, faculty and other local representatives and
to assit in coordinating their various on-site visits.
Participants in the
meetings came from the US, England & Wales, Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Spain,
Scandinavia, Switzerland and El Salvador, the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy
Land, the British Conference of Religious, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences
of the European Community (COMECE) and the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences
(CCEE).
His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Bishop Wilton
Gregory, President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Brendan
O’Brien, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Canada, Archbishop
Patrick Kelly, Vice-President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England &
Wales among others held a press conference on Thursday, 15 January 2004 in which they
expressed their findings and observations concerning their visit to the Holy Land.
Urgent
Need For Peace Highlighted
Full
Text of Press Release Below
The Universal Church in Solidarity
with the Church of the Holy Land
Bethlehem and Jerusalem, 12-15 January 2004
'Not walls, but
bridges!'
1. We, Catholic
Bishops from Europe and the Americas, came here to demonstrate the solidarity of Catholics
throughout the world with the Church of the Holy Land. For the third time in as many
years, we have come in friendship for both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, Christian,
Jew and Muslim alike. We have seen the violence suffered by both communities: the attack
against Israelis in Gaza and the collective punishment of Palestinian citizens. We express
our condolences for the deaths that have occurred during our stay and affirm our
opposition to all bloodshed.
We have heard of the desire for peace, justice and reconciliation among both Israelis and
Palestinians. We have also observed with great regret the lack of political will not only
in this region but in the international community to work for a peaceful settlement.
We therefore call upon all our political leaders to respond to the desire for peace which
the people of this Holy Land have deep in their hearts.
2. 'We labour and
strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God' 1 Tm 4: 10
We have witnessed many signs of hope during our short time in the Holy Land. Not
least among these are the generosity of the universal Church and the expressions of
solidarity that have come from Christians in Israel and elsewhere in the world.
Most hopeful of all, however, is the vitality and commitment of the Church of the Holy
Land itself, including the fraternal relations between Christian leaders.
We congratulate the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land, together with all
the Christians of the Holy Land in communion with the Catholic Church, for the successful
implementation of their Synod, as well as the Catholic relief organisations which have
worked so hard to co-ordinate their efforts and focus on their strengths in support of all
the people of the Holy Land.
3. 'The Holy Land does not need walls, but bridges!" Pope John Paul II, 16 November
2003
We have seen the devastating effect of the wall currently being built through the land and
homes of Palestinian communities. This appears to be a permanent structure, dividing
families, isolating them from their farmland and their livelihoods, and cutting off
religious institutions.
We have had an experience of the frustration and humiliation undergone every day by
Palestinians at checkpoints, which impede them from providing for their families, reaching
hospital, getting to work, attending their studies and visiting their relatives.
We deplore the fact that, despite visible efforts, some priests, seminarians, sisters,
brothers, and lay personnel are being denied or are having difficulties in obtaining visas
and residence permits to study and work in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
These constitute genuine impediments to the Churches' capacity to carry out their mission
at the service of the people of the Holy Land. This is especially regrettable given that
the State of Israel and the Holy See have just marked ten years since the signing of their
Fundamental Agreement.
We are also concerned about the written notices given to pilgrims by the Israeli
authorities on arrival in the Holy Land, making it difficult for them to visit areas under
the control of the Palestinian Authority, including many of the Holy Places of the
Christian faith.
4. 'Teacher, where are you staying? … Come and see!' Jn 1: 38- 39
We have been given hope by the small but notable increase in the number of pilgrims coming
to the Holy Places. We hope that our own journey will be an example and encouragement to
our fellow Christians to come and see where Jesus Christ lived. To journey and to be a
pilgrim is a sign of hope and solidarity to the Christians of the Holy Land, a reminder of
the presence of this living Church – the Mother Church – and a witness to peace
and reconciliation in this region so afflicted by conflict. -
We
call on all our fellow believers to bear witness to the truth of the message addressed to
the Christians of the Holy Land during these days: 'You are not alone!'
+ Brendan O'Brien
Archbishop of St John's Newfoundland and President, Canadian Bishops' Conference
+ Wilton D. Gregory
Bishop of Belleville and President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
+ Patrick Kelly
Archbishop of Liverpool and Vice-President, Catholic Bishops' Conference of England &
Wales (Delegate, Council of European Bishops' Conferences)
+ Bernard-Nicolas Aubertin
Bishop of Chartres, French Bishops' Conference
+ Lucien Daloz
Archbishop Emeritus of Besançon, French Bishops' Conference
+ Reinhard Marx
Bishop of Trier, German Bishops' Conference
+ Joan Enric Vives
Bishop of Urgell and co-Prince of Andorra, Spanish Bishops' Conference
+ William Kenney
Auxiliary Bishop of Stockholm, Scandinavian Bishops' Conference and
Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community (COMECE)
+ Pierre Bürcher
Auxiliary Bishop of Lausanne, Swiss Bishops' Conference
+ Gregorio Rosa Chavez,
President, Caritas Latin America
Mgr Piergiuseppe Vachelli
Undersecretary, Italian Bishops' Conference
NOTE:
The meeting, entitled the Universal Church in Solidarity with the Church of the Holy Land,
was staged with the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, presided over by the Latin
Patriarch, His Beatitude Michel Sabbah.
The Catholic Bishops` Conference of England & Wales delegation was led by Archbishop
Patrick Kelly, supported by Meeting Co-ordinator Fr. Frank Turner, of the CBCEW
International Affairs Department. It also included Sister Margaret Scott and Fr Nicholas
Postlethwaite, of the Conference of Religious.
Other bishops
present included Bishop Wilton Gregory, President of the US Conference of Catholic
Bishops, Archbishop Brendan O'Brien, President of the Catholic Bishops` Conference of
Canada, Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chavez of El Salvador, President of Caritas Latin America and
Caribbean region, Bishop Bernard-Nicolas Aubertin, Bishop of Chartres in France, Bishop
Reinhard Marx, President of the German Commission for Justice and Peace, Mgr. Piergiuseppe
Vachelli, sub-secretary, Catholic Bishops` Conference of Italy, Bishop Joan Enric Vives of
Spain, Bishop William Kenney of Scandinavia, representing European bishops' grouping
COMECE (The Commission of the Bishops` Conferences of the European Community), and Bishop
Pierre Burcher of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Archbishop Kelly was also representing the European bishops` grouping CCEE
the Council of European Bishops` Conferences at the meeting.
Contacts: Ollie Wilson, UK (0) 7974 951181 or John Coughlan +32 486 583250
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