The Most Reverend Patrick Kelly, Archbishop of Liverpool and Vice-President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, today met His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan.

The Archbishop was in Jordan for the 2006 meeting of the Co-ordination of Episcopal Conferences in Support of the Church of the Holy Land. The Co-ordination is made up of representatives from Catholic Bishops’ Conferences from across Europe and North America, representing countries which have been involved in the history of the Holy Land.

The overall aim of the Co-ordination is to act in solidarity with the Christian community in the Holy Land, through the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, and to share in the pastoral life of the local Church as it experiences intense political and social-economic pressure.

“We made a great step forward this year as the Co–ordination was concerned with the entire Holy Land and visited Jordan for the first time”, said Archbishop Patrick Kelly. “Already we have had the chance to visit young people and parishes in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah and other towns.”

King Abdullah II of Jordan, in a warm message to the Holy Land Co-ordination, emphasised that he was a brother and a friend. He clearly stated that he wanted to work closely with the Co-ordination in pursuing peace, as he was convinced of the need for a Christian presence across all of the Holy Land.