Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, along with Msgr. Giampietro Dal Toso, Secretary of the same dicastery, will be in Jordan this week to speak at a forum hosted by Caritas Middle East-North Africa-Horn of Africa.
The meeting provides an important opportunity to highlight the humanitarian aid provided by Catholic charitable institutions, especially Caritas, to refugees and victims of the ongoing conflict in Syria. Also expected to attend the forum are representatives of charities in the region, as well as representatives of local churches.
The current humanitarian crisis in Syria and in the surrounding region is becoming increasingly unsustainable. According to a communique released by the Holy See, there are an estimated 1 million refugees, as well as over 2.5 million people that are displaced.
Almost 100,000 people have died directly attributed to the violence while countless others have perished due to impoverishment caused by the war. “The harsh winter is further contributing to this sad situation of suffering of an exhausted people, especially the weakest and most vulnerable on the fringes of society,” the communique stated.
During their three day visit, Cardinal Sarah and Msgr. Dal Toso are expected to visit several areas where refugees fleeing the war in Syria are housed. The visit will be organized by Caritas Jordan along with several other Catholic organizations involved in charitable and humanitarian operations in the region.
