Canadian bishops head for Rome, celebrate with Jewish community

Ottawa, Canada, Nov 21, 2005 / 22:00 pm

A delegation from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) will be in Rome for its annual meeting with officials from the Holy See, from Nov. 22 to Dec. 2.

The delegation is composed of CCCB president Archbishop André Gaumond of Sherbrooke, vice president Archbishop James Weisgerber of Winnipeg, and general secretary Msgr. Mario Paquette.
While in Rome, they will meet with various officials from the Curia, including the Secretariat of State, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Congregation for Bishops, Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Congregation for Catholic Education, Congregation for the Clergy and Congregation for Oriental Churches. The visit is expected to include an audience with Pope Benedict XVI.

These meetings permit open exchanges on a regular basis between the Canadian Episcopal Conference and the Roman Curia regarding common projects, preoccupations and challenges for the Catholic Church both in Canada and around the world.

Prior to their departure, they joined other Canadian bishops in Ottawa Nov. 16 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Nostra Aetate with members of the Canadian Jewish Congress. The bishops reaffirmed the importance of Jewish-Christian dioalogue.