Brussels, Belgium, Sep 25, 2005 / 22:00 pm
At the first meeting of its kind, European and United States bishops gathered to discuss the world’s major problems and to consider how their partnership can help bring about peace and justice in the world.
“We are here to foster better understanding between the United States of America and Europe,” said Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) met in Brussels Sept. 21-23 to explore a range of issues.
Their agenda included the cause of peace in the Balkans and the Holy Land; the challenge of global security; the promotion of development in Africa; the need for inter-religious dialogue with Islam; the plight of migrants and refugees; and the role of religion in public life, reported the COMECE Web site.