The president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum personally handed out humanitarian aid and parcels containing basic items in the largest refugee camp in Jordan yesterday afternoon. Today, a regional forum organised by Caritas opened in Amman. Jordan's king praises Catholic work among the poor, the sick and the elderly.

Amman (AsiaNews) - Hundreds of Syrian refugees welcomed Card Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, during a visit to a refugee camp in Zarqa, Jordan, one of the points of destination for civilians fleeing the war in Syria.

The visit took place yesterday afternoon on the margins of a regional forum organised by Caritas in the Middle East and North Africa that opened this morning in Amman, said Fr Rifat Bader, a Jordanian priest who heads the Catholic Center for Studies and Media in the Jordanian capital.

On this occasion, the prelate personally brought money for the camp and handed out parcels with essential items the refugees as well.

The cardinal took the opportunity to meet local Church officials involved with displaced people and children attending schools run by the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem.

Card Sarah will chair the forum, which is scheduled to end on Friday, whose focus is charity work by the Church as noted by Benedict XVI in his Motu Proprio.

Local Churches' charity organisations and Syrian refugees are among the main topics of the meeting. Because of embargoes and regime bans, refugees cannot receive outside aid.

Tomorrow, the cardinal will meet Jordanian King Abdullah II who publicly thanked the local chapter of Caritas for its work on behalf of the poor, the sick and the elderly. (S.C.)

• vatican
• jordan
• robert
• sarah
• syrian
• refugees
• caritas