Accompanied by Canon Hanna Mansour, Bishop Suheil arrived for his 10 day visit to the Diocese of Washington and Virginia on September 21st. On Sunday morning, September 23rd, Bishop Suheil participated in the Cathedral Forum at the Washington National Cathedral. The Bishop presented the ministry of the Diocese in Jerusalem and the Middle East, and spoke about the concerns and challenges of the Anglican Church and the Christians of the area.
Bishop Suheil also talked about the ministry of the church through the parishes and institutions and the witness through dialogue that would lead to peaceful co-existence. He also stressed the importance of the partnerships in the ministry since this ministry is done on behalf of the universal church. Nearly 100 people from the District of Columbia gathered for this event.
At the 11:15am Holy Eucharist, Bishop Suheil addressed the 700 people who attended the cathedral service, challenging them to join the ministry of the diocese through prayer and support.
In the evening the Bishop attended a dinner at the home of Bishop Mariann Budde, during which they discussed the future of the partnership between the two dioceses. The bishops agreed to do their best to make this companionship productive and successful. Also in attendance were twenty people who have visited the Land of the Holy One and are interested in the ongoing work of the Diocese of Jerusalem.
