Royal
04-25-2005, 12:13 PM
VATICAN CITY - A day after reaching out to other Christians and to Jews in his installation Mass, Pope Benedict XVI met Monday with members of the Muslim community, assuring them the church wanted to continue building “bridges of friendship” that he said could foster peace in the world.
Benedict made the comments while meeting with religious leaders who attended Sunday’s installation ceremony, saying he was particularly grateful that members of the Muslim community were present.
“I express my appreciation for the growth of dialogue between Muslims and Christians, both at the local and international level,” he said.
He noted that the world is marked by conflicts but longs for peace.
“Yet peace is also a duty to which all peoples must be committed, especially those who profess to belong to religious traditions,” he said. “Our efforts to come together and foster dialogue are a valuable contribution to building peace on solid foundations.
“It is therefore imperative to engage in authentic and sincere dialogue, built on respect for the dignity of every human person, created as we Christians firmly believe, in the image and likeness of God,” he said.
Most Jewish leaders could not attend the Mass because it coincided with Passover.
“I assure you that the church wants to continue building bridges of friendship with the followers of all religions, in order to seek the true good of every person and of society as a whole,” Benedict said.
Overcoming thes schism
The message was significant because Benedict had left out any specific mention of Muslims in his inaugural homily, although he had directed a greeting to “believers and nonbelievers alike.”
In the homily, he specifically mentioned Jews, calling them his “brothers and sisters” who were joined with Catholics in a “shared spiritual heritage.” He also called several times for full communion of Christians.
Benedict’s effort to reach out to Jews carries an added dimension because of his membership in the Hitler Youth and later as a German army conscript during World War II. He has said he was forced into participating.
“With his German background, I certainly believe that he will be sympathetic toward Jews and I think he will continue the path of John Paul II, who made some very significant symbolic gestures,” said Menachem Friedman, a sociology professor at Bar Ilan University in Israel. “But I think it is much too early to comment.”
Benedict made the comments while meeting with religious leaders who attended Sunday’s installation ceremony, saying he was particularly grateful that members of the Muslim community were present.
“I express my appreciation for the growth of dialogue between Muslims and Christians, both at the local and international level,” he said.
He noted that the world is marked by conflicts but longs for peace.
“Yet peace is also a duty to which all peoples must be committed, especially those who profess to belong to religious traditions,” he said. “Our efforts to come together and foster dialogue are a valuable contribution to building peace on solid foundations.
“It is therefore imperative to engage in authentic and sincere dialogue, built on respect for the dignity of every human person, created as we Christians firmly believe, in the image and likeness of God,” he said.
Most Jewish leaders could not attend the Mass because it coincided with Passover.
“I assure you that the church wants to continue building bridges of friendship with the followers of all religions, in order to seek the true good of every person and of society as a whole,” Benedict said.
Overcoming thes schism
The message was significant because Benedict had left out any specific mention of Muslims in his inaugural homily, although he had directed a greeting to “believers and nonbelievers alike.”
In the homily, he specifically mentioned Jews, calling them his “brothers and sisters” who were joined with Catholics in a “shared spiritual heritage.” He also called several times for full communion of Christians.
Benedict’s effort to reach out to Jews carries an added dimension because of his membership in the Hitler Youth and later as a German army conscript during World War II. He has said he was forced into participating.
“With his German background, I certainly believe that he will be sympathetic toward Jews and I think he will continue the path of John Paul II, who made some very significant symbolic gestures,” said Menachem Friedman, a sociology professor at Bar Ilan University in Israel. “But I think it is much too early to comment.”