NEWS ABOUT BENEDICT

Predictably, the Italian media are all reporting the Pope's Angelus message yesterday because of the 'political' messages he made after the prayers for a peaceful resolution of the Kurdish problem on the Turkey-Iraq border, but mostly, for his reference to problems regarding immigrants, which is very topical in Italy these days.

First, here is how an international wire service agency reported it today:


Pope weighs in on Romanian problem


VATICAN CITY, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- A controversy over the expulsion of 38 Romanian immigrants by the Italian government has drawn an admonition from Pope Benedict XVI.

Benedict called on Italians to respect the rights of immigrants in the wake of a new policy of deporting Romanians who commit crimes, The Independent reported Monday.

"I wish that relations between migrant and local populations should be in the spirit of moral civility and the fruit of the spiritual and cultural values of every people and every country," the pope told a crowd gathered Sunday in St. Peter's Square.

His remarks followed calls by Italian government opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi for closing the borders to Romanian workers.

"People can't take it any more, because this wave of immigration has caused a growth in criminality," said Gianfranco Fini, who served as foreign minister in Berlusconi's government.

Several crimes recently, including the killing last week of an Italian woman near a squatter camp on Rome's outskirts, were alleged to have been carried out by Romanian immigrants.

Friday night a group of Romanians was attacked in a Rome suburb.

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Here is a translation of an article in today's Repubblica - a newspaper usually critical of the Pope - to show that the Pope's message was uniformly welcomed.

The Pope to Italian authorities:
'Prevent violence and avoid intolerance'
By ALBERTO CUSTODERO


ROME - An appeal so that the "rights and duties which are the basis for every true coexistence and encounter between peoples" may be guaranteed. The hope that relations between immigrants and the host population should take place "in the spirit of that high moral civility which is a fruit of the spiritual and cultural values of each nation and people."

Thus did Pope Benedict XVI intervene yesterday, with a high-minded appeal addressed to 'those who have responsibility for security and hospitality', on the emergency provoked by the killing of an Italian woman by Romanian immigrants last week in the Roman district of Tor de Quinto.

The Pope did not directly refer to the killing of Giovanna Reggiani nor the stepped-up police patrols of immigrant neighborhoods, the planned decrees on expelling some immigrants, and the polemics between Italian and Romanian authorities on the issue.

Although it could be taken as a general reference to the situation of immigrants in many Western countries, the Pope did allude to the controversy over the appropriate measures to curb immigrant crimes, as he appealed for everyone 'to avoid violence and intolerance'.

In referring to the need for both 'security and hospitality', the Pope obviously wished to emphasize both the duty to welcome immigrants appropriately and to safeguard the the security of citizens.

At the same time, he said immigrants had both rights as well as duties, which are the basis for 'true coexistence' with the residents of the host country.

The Pope thereby expressed the position set out Friday by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone who spoke out on the immigrant issue, calling on Italians to "honor our old tradition of hospitality" and at the same time, "be firm with those who commit crimes and do not accept either the criteria for citizenship in a democratic country nor the fundamental rules for living together."

Bertone also said it was important 'to distinguish the wheat from the chaff, and not to make a sheaf out of a single stalk.'

In his message after the noonday Angelus yesterday, the Pope first expressed his concerns over the conflict in the border region of Turkey and Iraq over Kurdish rebels, and his hopes for 'a peaceful solution for the civilian populations involved, including many Christians who have found refuge in the border region from the bloody violence in parts of Iraq.

He then proceeded to speak about the immigrant issue.

Repubblica, 5 novembre 2007

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To place this issue in better perspective, here is an editorial commentary today by SIR, the news agency of the Italian bishops conference, translated here.


TO EDUCATE EVERYONE ABOUT LAW:
RESPECT AND ENFORCEMENT

We do not want the questions raised by the barbaric killing of Giovanna Reggiani - so tragic in its horrendous banality - to be the nth political debate Italian-style.

We do not want it to be the nth occasion for a collective rhetorical exercise on the question - doubtless crucial - of immigration and the politics of public safety and security that is connected with it in many ways. A excess of rhetoric in which everyone - from do-gooders to strict disciplinarians - seems to be reciting from a well-known script.

Instead, it is time to face this question in its complex totality and with the good sense that most Italians look at it.

Good sense requires us to recognize, in fact, that immigration per se is not in question. Italian economy and society need foreign immigrants, now and in the foreseeable future. This presupposes forms of integration and adaptation.

But this does not mean that the system of Italian laws and regulations would require a different interpretation for immigrants. The law is the law, for all, and above all.

But legality is a word that has never been quite understood in our collective vocabulary. It wasn't by chance that in the 20th century - 1992 to be exact - the Italian bishops conference, published a document with a title that is still very relevant: "Educating in legality".

Laws exist, and it should not be difficult to update them as needed. But that is not the point. What's important first is that everyone respects the law, and those who have the responsibility to enforce it should do so and impose respect for it. Without distinction - among equals, among those who have more, or those who have less.

This is the crux of the question regarding immigrants who break the law. Along with another point not less relevant and connected to it, which is, in the words of Pope Benedict XVI, 'the moral profile of civil coexistence'.

In short, wrongdoers should answer for their offenses, according to the law and the penal code. But civilian coexistence also must have a code of values, principles and moral standards which go beyond just an assertion of individual rights, and reflect the patrimony of civilization, that identity of the collective which needs to be defined and developed now more than ever, in order to make it grow and be properly appreciated.

This is an endless and urgent area of commitment for everyone - from he forces of law and order to the courts, and all who have any educative responsibilities in society.

It is time for everyone to carry out his duties, and this is the way to assure both hospitality and security - hospitality for immigrants, and security for everyone, beginning with Italian citizens.

But this education for legality is obviously not limited to the question of immigrants. If we ask young adults - people in their 20s now, when we are almost 40 years away from 1968 - we will find how far removed they are from the 'revolutionary' order of that year; we will find that they demand 're-regulation' of public life, even if they can mostly express it 'poorly' through their disorientation.

In fact, as the Pope recently said, we have an educational emergency, and Italy needs urgent and adequate responses.

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Here is Il Messaggero's more comprehensive report about the Pope's Angelus message, translated here:


The Pope: Safety and hospitality
in dealing with immigrants
by FRANCA GIANSOLDATI


VATICAN CITY - Foreign immigrants have rights but duties as well.

After calling on society in general to 'keep an elevated profile of civilian coexistence' the day after the murder in Rome of Giovanna Reggiani by a Romanian immigrant, Papa Ratzinger spoke about issues linked with immigration, emphasizing the need to exercise hospitality as well as enforcing the law.

At the Sunday Angelus yesterday, after a reflection on the tax collector Zacchaeus in the Gospel of the day, the Pope stated in a few lines a formula for 'true living together' in community. In essence, he told tens of thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square,
civilian coexistence is an 'encounter among peoples.'

Those three words enclose a world that consists of decades-long efforts by the Church to build bridges with Islam, as well as the desire not to be closed off from anything 'different', in the difficult task of relating to various cultures in an increasingly globalized world society.

And religion - as John Paul II intuited in 1979 when,for the first time, he called Muslims 'brothers' - is an invaluable vehicle for breaking down walls and building bridges.

"Once again," Benedict XVI said, "the Gospel tells us that love, coming from the heart of God and working through the heart of man, is the force that renews the world."

Without ever explicitly citing the homicide committed by the immigrant in Rome, nor the risk of Italian xenophobia against immigrants from Romania, the Pope said he was hopeful that 'relations between immigrant populations and the local people' would take place 'in the spirit of that high moral civility that is the fruit of spiritual and cultural values in every people and country'.

At the same time, he did not fail to call on the authorities, especially 'those who have the responsibility for public safety as well as hospitality (for immigrants)' to guarantee their rights, and for immigrants to recognize their duties, since 'rights and duties are the basis of all genuine living together.'

It was thought that the Pope deliberately avoided specific references to the Italian situation because similar situations occur in other parts of the world, including for many Christians forced to flee war zones.

After the Angelus, Fr. Federico Lombardi, Vatican press director, said: "The Pope made general statements. Even if he earlier referred to his concerns for the problems that have arisen between Turkey and the Kurds of Iraq, he was not referring only to that region of the world. Even the Italian situation comes into that general frame."

It must be noted that the Church, with respect to the great question of immigration in our time, has used every means, including Papal addresses and not a few Vatican documents, to advocate Biblical hospitality - exemplified by the Holy Family seeking refuge in Egypt -
along with respect for the law.

Last October, in his address to the new ambassador from Belgium to the Holy See, the Pope referred to the tragedy of undocumented immigrants, urging that Western nations, in their immigration policies, should 'reconcile their interests' with the needs of 'disadvantaged nations'.

Such policies, he said, should also promote reciprocal knowledge about each other's cultures, respecting each other's religious convictions, as well as 'the legitimate demands of social life, and following laws in force'.

According to Papa Ratzinger, that would be the only way to neutralize the bad weed of 'exaggerated nationalism and xenophobia', so that and 'one may hope for harmonious development in our society.'

A recent article by Fr.Michele Simone in La Civilta Cattolica on the statistical dossier of Caritas on immigration in Italy shows a change in mentality towards immigrants on the part of millions of Italians.

The Jesuit magazine - which reflects the orientation of the Vatican secretariat of state - denounced the dissemination of stereotypes about immigrants, particularly that which equates immigrant with criminal.

"This does not mean that one must yield to mere do-goodism and ignore that there are many problems and difficulties," Simone's article said. "But these should be faced squarely, because immigrants are, and will be, even more in the future, a necessary presence in European society."


Il Messaggero, 5 novembre 2007

A full translation of the Pope's homily has been posted in HOMILIES, DISCOURSES, MESSAGES.

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The Pope today celebrated a Mass at the Altar of Peter's Chair in St. Peter's Basilica to remember all the cardinals,
patriarchs, bishops and archbishops who died during the past 12 months.

The deceased cardinals were Salvatore Pappalardo, Frédéric Etsou-Nzabi Bamungwabi, Antonio María Javierre,
Angelo Felici, Jean-Marie Lustiger, Edouard Gagnon, Adam Kozłowiecki and Rosalio José Castillo Lara.

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Pope Offers Mass for Deceased Cardinals:
8 Passed Away Since Last November


VATICAN CITY, NOV. 5, 2007 (Zenit.org)- Benedict XVI concelebrated Mass with the College of Cardinals today, offering it for the souls of their brother bishops and cardinals who died this year.

At the beginning of the homily, the Pope mentioned the cardinals who had died in the past 12 months: Cardinals Salvatore Pappalardo, Frédéric Etsou-Nzabi Bamungwabi, Antonio Javierre, Angelo Felici, Jean-Marie Lustiger, Edouard Gagnon, Adam Kozłowiecki and Rosalio José Castillo Lara.

The Holy Father offered an invitation to give thanks to God "for the gift he has given the Church through them and for all the good achieved with their help. Likewise, we entrust the souls of the departed patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops to the eternal Father, also expressing our recognition of their work in the name of the entire Catholic community."

These men, our brothers, he continued, "were certainly men of distinct character, both for their personal trials as well as for the ministry they exercised. Nevertheless, they all had a great commonality: their friendship with the Lord Jesus."

"During their temporal existence," the Holy Father said, "Jesus led them to know the name of God, granting them participation in the love of the most holy Trinity, [...] an experience of divine communion that, by its nature, tends to envelop one's entire existence, transfiguring it and preparing it for the glory of eternal life."

Alluding to the responsorial psalm, the Pope emphasized that "this thirst [for God] holds a truth that does not betray, a hope that does not delude. It is a thirst that, even through the darkest night, illuminates that path toward the source of life."

Benedict XVI pointed out that the psalm acquires a tone of confidence at its heart as well as at its end: "Why are you discouraged, my soul, why do you worry me? Trust in God that I may praise him, my salvation and my God.

"In the light of Christ and his paschal mystery these words reveal a wonderful truth: Not even death can render a believer's hope worthless because Christ has entered the sanctuary of heaven for us and wants to lead us there where he has prepared us a place."






This was the first Mass at which Mons. Guido Marini acted as Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations.


In the smaller picture, Mons. Guido is the 'cerimoniere' on the right. .


In the main forum, Caterina posted this picture to note the sleeve of the Pope's alb which appears to have a brocaded pattern.

'THE CLERGY AT EVERY LEVEL HAVE A DUTY TO OBEY'

Here is a translation of an interview in PETRUS today with the #2 man in the Congregation for Divine Worship.




Pride and prejudice
motivate the Pope's opponents
By Bruno Volpe


VATICAN CITY - 'The clergy at every level have a duty to obey the Pope' is the central message from Mons. Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige, secretary-general of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, in this exclusive interview.



Excellency, how would you describe the reception so far of the Pope's Motu Proprio liberalizing the use of the traditional Mass? Some in the Church have turned up their noses at it...

There have been positive reactions, and of course, we cannot deny that there have been criticisms and direct opposition from some theologians, liturgists, bishops and even cardinals.

Frankly, I do not understand these forms of distancing from the Pope, or better still, call it for what it is, rebellion.

I invite everyone, especially bishops, to obey the Pope, who is the Successor of Peter. Bishops, in particular, have sworn their loyalty to the Pontiff, and should be consistent and faithful to that vow.


In your opinion, what is the reason for this display of opposition to the Pope?

You know that there have been, in some dioceses, 'interpretative' documents aimed, inexplicably, at delimiting the Pope's Motu Proprio. Such actions are partly motivated by ideological prejudice as well as arrogance, one of the gravest of sins.

I can only repeat: I call on everyone to obey the Pope. If the Holy Father thought that it was his duty to issue this Motu Proprio, he made his reasons clear, and I share them fully.


The liberalization of the traditional Mass also seems like a proper remedy to so many liturgical abuses that were unfortunately committed after Varican-II in connection with the Novus Ordo...

I don't criticize the Novus Ordo. But it makes me laugh when I hear it said, even by some friends of mine, that in a parish, the priest is a saint because of his homilies or how he speaks.

The Holy Mass is a sacrifice, an offering, a mystery, that is independent of the priest who celebrates it. It is therefore important - in fact, fundamental - that the priest knows his place in it: the protagonist of the Mass is Christ.

Therefore, I do not understand the eucharistic celebrations transformed into performances with singing and dancing and clapping, which unfortunately takes place in many Novus Ordo Masses.


Mons. Patabendige, your Congregation has often spoken against such liturgical abuses...

Yes. We have issued so many documents which, however, remain dead letters, that end up in dusty shelves, or worse, in the weatebasket.


Another point - sometimes, one has to sit through excessively long homilies...

Even that is an abuse. I am against dancing and applause during Mass, because one is not at the circus or a stadium. As for homilies, they should be exclusively catechetical, as the Pope has underscored, and avoid sociologisms and useless patter.

Often, the priest ends up talking about politics because he has not really prepared a homily [which should always be based on the Gospel and readings of the day]. And a homily should be prepared carefully, scrupulously.

An excessively long homily usually means little preparation. A homily should be about 10 minutes, 15 at the most. The priest must consider that the culminating moment of the celebration is the Eucharistic mystery. This is not to diminish the liturgy of the Word but to clarify the correct application of liturgy.


Going back to the Motu Proprio, there are those who criticize the use of Latin for the Mass...

The Tridentine rite in Latin is part of Church tradition. The Pope has dutifully explained the reasons for his decision - it is an act of liberation and of justice for the traditionalists.

As for the use of Latin, I would like to emphasize that it was never abolished. [The so-called 'typical' Missals, even that of the Novus Ordo - on which all other language translations are based - are in Latin.] Latin is a guarantee of the universality of the Church.

I can only repeat: I call on all priests, bishops and cardinals to obey the Pope, setting aside any pride or prejudice.


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A CWN report based on the PETRUS interview adds this :

Early in October, in an address to the Latin Liturgy Association in the Netherlands, Archbishop Ranjith had delivered an equally blunt assessment of the response to Summorum Pontificum, saying that bishops were being "disobedient" to the Pope, and stifling the impact of the motu proprio by their policies. Diocesan bishops "do not have this right," he said, and bishops who defy the Pope's authority are allowing themselves "to be used as instruments of the devil."

[The full text of the Netherlands speech was posted at the time in READINGS].

Thank you for this post, Teresa. It is almost unbelievable that the Pope has to contend with the negative reaction of so many clerics with regard to the liturgy, whether "old" or "new". One can only hope that with time the beauty and reverence of the "traditional" Mass will eventually have a positive influence on the Novus Ordo in the cases where it is being abused.

Saudi King Abdullah arrives
for historic meeting with Pope


He's 83! Abdullah in an Oct 2007 AFP file photo.

ROME, Nov. 5 (AFP) - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia arrived Monday in Rome for an audience with Pope Benedict XVI, the first between a Saudi monarch and a leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal came to Rome in September to pave the way for the visit, the third leg of a European tour that has taken the 84-year-old monarch to London and Geneva.

The meeting with the pope is set for 12:30 pm (1130 GMT) on Tuesday.

The Holy See and Saudi Arabia do not have diplomatic ties, but King Abdullah met Benedict's predecessor John Paul II in 1999 when he was crown prince to his half brother King Fahd.

The Vatican said the talks in September between al-Faisal and the pope centred on "defence of religious and moral values, the Middle East conflict, the political and religious situation in Saudi Arabia (and) the importance of inter-cultural and inter-faith dialogue."

A Vatican source told AFP the same topics would be on the agenda between the king and the Pope when they meet Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia held an Arab summit in Riyadh in March to relaunch a five-year-old Saudi peace initiative for the Middle East.

Abdullah's visit comes as relations between the Vatican and the Muslim world have eased since the crisis provoked in September 2006 when Benedict appeared to link Islam with violence in a speech at Regensburg University, Germany.

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who travelled to Riyadh in April, was to meet the Saudi king late Tuesday, while Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema was to have talks with his Saudi counterpart Al-Faisal.

Abdullah's lavish three-day state visit to Britain, the first by a Saudi monarch in 20 years, sparked human rights protests.

He will travel next to Germany and Turkey.



Saudi king to hold
landmark meeting with Pope


King Abdullah leaves Buckingham Palace
after meeting Queen Elizabeth on Nov. 1.


Rome, 5 Nov.(AdnKronos) - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud arrived in Italy late on Monday with a 22-member delegation for a two-day visit to the capital, Rome. During his stay he was due to meet Italy's president Georgio Napolitano, prime minister Romano Prodi and Pope Benedict XVI - for the first time.

Diplomatic sources told Adnkronos that the visit was taking place in the context of a consolidated relationship between Italy and Saudi Arabia. The leaders will sign on Tuesday sign several key accords in the areas of counter-terrorism, defence, higher education, professional training and health, the sources said.

Abdullah's talks with top government and institutional representatives are expected to centre on international politics, especially Lebanon, the Arab-Israeli peace process, Iraq and Iran's nuclear file.

Italian diplomats told Adnkronos they will be asking Abdullah and his delegation to elaborate on a recent Saudi proposal for a consortium of Gulf states to enrich uranium in a 'neutral country' as a way out of the international crisis over Iran's nuclear programme.

Abdullah's first official engagement was a dinner on Monday as Napolitano's guest at the Quirinale Palace - official residence of the Italian president.

The Saudi monarch is due on Tuesday to pay an historic visit the Vatican - a state with which Saudi Arabia does not have diplomatic relations - for an audience with Benedict XVI.

Custodian of the Mecca and Medina mosques in Saudia Arabia - two of the holiest Muslim sites - Abdullah is the first Saudi king to meet a pope.

Discussions between Abdullah - viewed as a moderate reformer - and Benedict XVI are expected to focus on increasing dialogue between Catholics and Muslims.

Although it does not have diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, the Vatican has ties with many other Islamic nations.

It is forbidden to practise Christianity inside Saudi Arabia and illegal to bring symbols from religions other than Islam into the country. Bibles and crucifixes must be left at the border.

The Vatican has stressed its demands for "reciprocity" meaning that countries such as Saudi Arabia should ease limits on worship by Christians and other non-Muslims.

Church relations with Muslims were badly strained last year after a speech by the pontiff in Germany linking Islam to violence. Benedict later said he regretted that Muslims were offended by his remarks, and the Vatican has since tried to improve relations with Muslims.

Abdullah will on Tuesday meet Rome's mayor and leader of the newly formed centre-left Democratic Party, Walter Veltroni. Also on Tuesday, he will meet Prodi during a meeting of the joint Italo-Saudi Business Council taking place at Rome's Excelsior Hotel.

Abdullah will later hold separate talks with Prodi and Italy's foreign minister Massimo D'Alema at the Renaissance Villa Madama, where he is staying during his visit.

Abdullah is on a 13-day European tour that has already taken in Britain and includes Germany and Turkey on the next leg of his journey.

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BRIEF BACKGROUND ON KING ABDULLAH


Abdullah with US Vice-President Cheney
after his coronation in August 2005.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, born 1924, is the King of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy run by the House of Saud family.

Abdullah succeeded to the throne on August 1, 2005, following the death of his half-brother, King Fahd. As crown prince, he had previously acted as de facto regent and thus ruler of Saudi Arabia since 1995 when King Fahd was incapacitated by a major stroke.

He was formally enthroned on August 3, 2005, but he inherited the title of King immediately after the death of his half-brother. One of his sons, Prince Mutaib, serves as a deputy commander in the Saudi National Guard.

Abdullah also serves as Prime Minister and Commander of the Saudi National Guard. He is Chairman of the Supreme Economic Council, President of the High Council for Petroleum and Minerals, President of the King Abdulaziz Centre for National Dialogue, Chairman of the Council of Civil Service and Head of the Military Service Council.

Abdullah is the fifth son (out of 37 sons) of King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, to ascend to the throne.

King Abdul Aziz began conquering today's Saudi Arabia in 1902, by restoring his family as emirs of Riyadh. He then proceeded to conquer first the Nejd (1922) and then the Hejaz (1925). He progressed from Sultan of Nejd, to King of Hejaz and Nejd, and finally to King of Saudi Arabia (1932).

The other kings have all been sons of his, and all likely immediate successors to the reigning King Abdullah are his sons as well. Sons of Ibn Saud are considered to have primary claim on the Kingship of Saudi Arabia. This makes the Saudi Monarchy quite distinct from Western monarchies, which usually feature large, clearly defined royal families and orders of succession.

The kings after Faisal have named a "second Deputy Prime Minister" as the subsequent heir after the Crown Prince, who is also the "Deputy Prime Minister." The current Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia is Abdullah's half-brother, Prince Sultan, and it is intended that a family assembly choose heirs from their or the next generation at some time in the future, however at the current time, Abdullah has named no "second Deputy."

Saudi Arabia is ruled by Islamic law and purports to be an Islamic state; but many Muslims see a monarchy as being a non-Islamic system of government. This attitude stems in part from traditional Sunni doctrine, which prefers selecting rulers based on who is most qualified, even though the caliphate became a hereditary system after the time of the first four Sunni Caliphs (the Rashidun).

The ruling family is often perceived as unreligious due to rumours of decadent behaviour. This is part of a deeper underlying tension in Saudi Arabia between the strive for modernization and conservation of culture and values.

But King Abdullah is considered a devout Muslim and follows the Salafi understanding of Islam which is a strict interpretation of the religion based on the teachings of the first three generations of Muslims, and is said to have meetings with leaders of Saudi Arabia's religious establishment on a weekly basis to garner advice and guidance.

The status of women in his kingdom has received critisism where "they are banned from driving, from leaving the house without a male guardian or from holding a passport."


An across-the-board criticism of Abdullah and his regime can be read in this article in the UK newspaper Independent as Abdullah arrived in London on a state visit last week.
news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article3106888.ece

A key paragraph has to do with Saudi funding of the Wahhabi brand of extremist Islamism that. See also report on what Saudi-funded mosques and schools teach in the UK, and presumably around the world.

ANTICIPATING THE VISIT OF THE SAUDI KING
by Giuseppe Fiorentino



Here is the translation of a front-page article in the November 5-6 issue of L'Osservatore Romano:


The King of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, will meet Pope Benedict XVI Tuesday, Nov. 6. It will be the first visit by a
Saudi King with a Pope, although as Crown Prince, Abdullah met with John Paul II on May 25, 1999.

The visit of the monarch, who also has the supreme religious title of Custodian of the Two Sacred Mosques of Mecca and Medina, is obviously of great significance.

It takes place a few weeks after 138 Muslim scholars, among them some Saudis, sent a letter to the Pope and other Christian leaders on the subject of dialog between Islam and Christianity. The 138 signatories come from 47 nations, including some non-Muslim states,

Although not explicitly stated, the letter also addresses all Muslims who believe in the need for a sincere and reciprocally respectful dialog with Christians.

In a world whose borders are opening up more each day, dialog, more than being just a choice, has become a necessity. This is clear from the presence of millions of Muslims in Western countries, and the growing presence of Christians in some Muslim countries of the Arabian Peninsula.

In the United Arab Emirates, which opened diplomatic relations with the Vatican recently, Christians are already 35% of the population (mostly foreign workers). Even in Saudi Arabia itself, it is estimated there are over 1.5 million Catholics today (mostly Filipino workers).

King Abdullah is accompanied by his Foreign Minister, Prince Saud Al Faisal who met with the Pope in Castel Gandolfo last September 6.

The Saudi monarch is carrying out a diplomatic tour of Europe which started in the United Kingdom last week and will take him to Germany and Turkey.

Abdullah became the sixth King of Saudi Arabia on August 1, 2005, after the death of his half-brother King Fahd. But he had been Regent since 1995, when Fahd fell ill and incapacitated.

He was born in Riyadh in 1924, one of 37 sons of King Abdel Aziz Al Saud, who founded the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. His first official position was Mayor of the Holy City of Mecca.

In 1962, he became vice-minister of defense and commandant of the National Guard in 1975, second deputy Prime Minister; and in 1982, Crown Prince and deputy Prime Minister.

Shortly after he became King, he held the first elections in the country's history - nationwide municipal elections.

Considered by many observers to be open to the West, with which he has been trying to strengthen political and economic relations, he has also shown himself attentive to the concerns of neighboring Arab countries.

Thanks to him, in recent years, Saudi Arabia has assumed an important role as mediator of conflicts in the Middle East. In 2002, before he became King, he presented in Beirut a peace initiative that proposed the willingness of the Arab nations to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for its retreat from Palestinian territories occupied after the 1967 War. This remains the formula that Arab leaders are proposing in order to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Perhaps one can say of the Saudi king's visit tomorrow the recent words of Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for InterReligious Dialog, to define Christian-Muslim relations.

"The important things," Tauran said, "is to get to know each other, to know each other, to know each other. Each of us always ha something to learn from the other."


L'Osservatore Romano - 5-6 Novembre 2007

Can we expect something new
from the Saudi king's visit with the Pope?
By FRANCO CARDINI

Here is a translation of an editorial commentary from Il Tempo today.

The visit to the Pontiff of the King of Saudi Arabia and Custodian of the Sacred Mosques of Mecca and Medina, Abdullah II, is both interesting and problematic.

The King, born in 1924, came to the throne in 2005 but he had been Regent since 1996 when his brother Fahd became ill and incapacitated.

The 83-year-old Abdullah is an interesting and controversial personage. He has been called, a bit too picturesquely, the Red Prince, and has distinguished himself as the leader of a modernizing trend in the court and the country.

After 9/11, he reacted to pressures from the United States with almost 'revolutionary' measures, such as the proposal (though immediately placed in deep-freeze) to convert the petroleum market from the dollar to the euro, the re-establishment in 2001 of diplomatic relations with Yemen and Iran, and his refusal to allow military bases in his country to be used for the invasion of Iraq. This led the United States to transfer its Middle East military staff command to Qatar and withdrawal of US troops from Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Abdullah, still as Prince Regent, also proposed an autonomous Arab solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that would not be mediated by the West.

Internally, Abdullah has not hesitated to make institutional innovations: between 2004-2005, he instituted a series of reforms which led to the first democratic consultations and elections in the kingdom since it was born in 1932 under the British aegis. (Saudi Arabia then entered into a rigid alliance with the United States and has been Washington's most 'trusted' ally in the Arab Middle East.)

But Saudi Arabia ha always been a source of outrage to the outside world. Along with the Gulf emirates, it has been the Arab country most closed to democracy and modernity. The reigning dynasty is considered the leader of the Wahhabi sect, which supports the strict and rigorous application of sharia.

Because it has remained an ally of the West, the dark reactionary side of the regime - paradoxical in the world's leading oil producer and a dynasty that is a giant in international finance - has been minimally discussed in the Western mass media. It would be embarrassing them to do so, especially when the ruling house claims it is fighting fundamentalism (which is not the same as religious radicalism).

The paradox is that the 'regressive' character of the Saudi regime is beginning to be denounced only now - while Abdullah is showing signs of loosening up his alliance with the United States and is playing leading role in some innovations.

What will the King, who is in many ways unpredictable, say to the Pope? Doubtless, and perhaps above all, they will talk about the Israeli-Palestinian problem and the security of the Christian holy sites int the Middle East.

But perhaps even the delicate and difficult situation of Christians in Saudi Arabia where, by virtue of a very strict (and to Western eyes, unacceptable) interpretation of sharia, public worship by Christians or other manifestation of Christianity is prohibited in any form.

The word 'reciprocity' has been mentioned. But reciprocity, by nature, can only be practised between analogous juridical and institutional subjects. The Pope, head of Catholicism, cannot ask for any form of reciprocity from the King of Saudi Arabia who, although he is custodian of Islam's most holy mosques, is not the leader of Islam, not even of the Sunnis, who consider him suspect because of his association with the Wahhabis.

What about a bilateral accord between the sovereign of Vatican state and the King of Saudi Arabia? This is certainly possible on the juridical and formal level, but on the political and moral level, it seems impossible that the Pontiff could act only as a regular head of state, especially since his state only has 800 inhabitants. [??? Why not? The Vatican remains a sovereign state no matter how tiny it is, and why can't the Pope act as a head of state?]

On the other hand, Abdullah is a reformer. In the Arab and Islamic world, there are models in which, without 'betraying' the sharia in any way, but adapting a more open interpretation, other governments have guaranteed religious freedom for Christians. So it is in Jordan, Syria, Iraq (even under Saddam Hussein), Egypt and the other North African countries.

Abdullah knows that any step, however cautious, that he takes in this direction, will alienate him from the extremist fringes of Islam but, with the backing of the Pope, would earn him extraordinary diplomatic prestige and moral capital in the West.

In short, there is reason to hope for something new.

Il Tempo, 6 novembre 2007

======================================================================

Here are some of the Anglophone situationers:


Saudi king meets pope at the Vatican

VATICAN CITY, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI became the first Roman Catholic leader Tuesday to host talks with a Saudi monarch, as King Abdullah and he discussed interreligious dialogue.

Abdullah arrived in Rome Monday night and hinted as to the talks' purpose at a dinner hosted by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, the Saudi newspaper Okaz reported.

"All religions encourage people to love the next person," Abdullah said. "If everyone followed the principles of their religions, and that which Allah ordered, the world would be free of clashes."

Vatican sources said the pope was expected to bring up the Arabic ban on public Christian worship as well as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, A BBC correspondent reported.

Benedict infuriated Muslims in a September 2006 speech at Regensburg University in Germany when he associated Islam with violence but he later apologized and launched a campaign of improving interreligious dialogue.



Pope, Saudi king to hold
historic meeting

ROME, Nov. 6 (AFP) - Pope Benedict XVI was to hold an historic audience with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, on the first visit to the Vatican by a monarch from the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom.

The Holy See does not have diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia, which is home to Islam's holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina and applies a rigorous doctrine of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism.

Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal came to Rome in September to pave the way for the meeting which is expected to focus on the rights of Christians in Saudi Arabia and Islamic-Christian relations in general.

The meeting with the pope is set for 12:30 pm (1130 GMT).

Abdullah's visit comes as relations between the Vatican and the Muslim world have eased since the crisis provoked in September 2006 when Benedict appeared to link Islam with violence in a speech at Regensburg University, Germany.

The lecture sparked days of sometimes violent protests in Muslim countries, prompting the pontiff to say that he was "deeply sorry" for any offence and attributing Muslim anger to an "unfortunate misunderstanding".

The pope also held a meeting with the ambassadors and charge d'affaires from 22 Muslim countries as he sought to underline his commitment to inter-faith dialogue.

It will not be King Abdullah's first contact with the head of the Roman Catholic Church. He met Benedict's predecessor John Paul II in 1999 when he was crown prince to his half brother King Fahd.

The question of religious freedoms in Saudi Arabia for Christians and other non-Muslims remains an extremely sensitive one.

In September, the US State Department annual report on religious freedoms noted some improvement in "specific areas" in Saudi Arabia but said "overall government policies continue to place severe restrictions on religious freedom."

The report mentioned discrimination against non-Muslims, or against Muslims with practices different from Saudi Arabia's strict conservative Wahabi version of Sunni Islam.

"Non-Muslims and Muslims who do not adhere to the government's interpretation of Islam continued to face significant political, economic, legal, social, and religious discrimination," it said.

"Charges of harassment, abuse, and even killings at the hands of the muttawa (religious police) continued to surface. Saudi textbooks continued to contain statements of intolerance."

King Abdullah arrived in Rome on Monday on the third leg of a European tour that has taken the 84-year-old monarch to London and Geneva.

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who travelled to Riyadh in April, was to meet the Saudi king late Tuesday, while Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema was to have talks with his Saudi counterpart Al-Faisal.

Abdullah's lavish three-day state visit to Britain, the first by a Saudi monarch in 20 years, sparked human rights protests.

He will travel next to Germany and Turkey.



Benedict-Abdullah Talks Will Be First
for a Pope, Saudi Monarch
By Flavia Krause-Jackson

Nov. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Pope Benedict XVI and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah will hold talks today, the first meeting of a pontiff with a leader of the kingdom and a step toward establishing diplomatic ties between the two states.

The Vatican devoted a front-page column to the talks in its newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, and stressed that dialogue between Roman Catholicism and Islam had become a 'necessity'. The visit comes less than a month after 138 Muslim scholars wrote an open letter to 28 Christian leaders, inviting them to find the ``common essentials of our two religions.''

King Abdullah is also known to Muslims as the custodian of the two holy mosques for his role as protector of Islam's holiest sites, in the Saudi cities of Mecca and Medina. He is in Rome as part of a European tour and will meet with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi late today.

Saudi Arabia is one of nine majority-Muslim countries with which the Holy See doesn't have diplomatic relations. In Saudi Arabia, Christians aren't allowed to worship in public, churches are outlawed, and crucifixes and copies of the Bible can't be brought into the country.

Benedict has been trying to heal relations with Muslims since he gave a speech in his native Germany in September 2006 in which he quoted a Byzantine emperor who linked Islam with violence. The comments sparked protests by Muslims worldwide. On a four-day trip to Turkey in December, Benedict's first to a mostly Muslim nation, the pope turned toward Mecca during a visit to a mosque.

Vatican: Saudi king and Pope Benedict XVI
pledge closer religious ties

Vatican City, 6 Nov. (ADNkronos) - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Pope Benedict XVI pledged to work for peace and build closer religious ties at an historic meeting at the Vatican in Rome on Tuesday.

It was the first official visit by a Saudi monarch to the Holy See and the meeting lasted for thirty minutes.

The 84-year-old monarch, wearing a traditional blue, gold and white robe, gave the 80-year-old pope a gold sword encrusted with stones and in exchange the pontiff gave King Abdullah a 16th century engraving of the Vatican.

The Saudi king is the custodian of the mosques in the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.



Accompanied by a 12-member delegation, he met the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and the Vatican secretary for relations with states, Mons. Dominique Mamberti.

The Vatican does not have diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia, but the two leaders discussed cultural and religious dialogue in Arabic and Italian through interpreters, according to a statement released by the Vatican on Tuesday.

The statement said that it was a "cordial meeting that allowed them to touch on topics close to their hearts".

"In particular they renewed their commitment to inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue, aimed at peace and fruitful cohabitation among men and people, and the value of collaboration between Christians, Muslims and Jews for the promotion of peace, justice and spiritual and moral values, especially in support of the family," the statement said.

The Vatican also expressed "the hope for prosperity for all the people of Saudi Arabia" and made a special reference to the "positive and hardworking presence of the Christians in the kingdom".

The question of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia is a sensitive one.

It is forbidden to practise Christianity in public inside Saudi Arabia and illegal to bring symbols from religions other than Islam into the country. Bibles and crucifixes must be left at the border.

The pope and the king also exchanged ideas about the Middle East and the need to find a fair solution to the conflicts that affect the region, in particular the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Tuesday meeting was not the first for King Abdullah with the Roman Catholic church. The Saudi king met Pope John Paul II in 1999 when he was Crown Prince to his brother King Fahd.



Saudi king meets the pope
Al-Jazeera English News
Nov. 6, 2007



King Abdullah has become the first Saudi monarch to meet a Catholic pontiff after he was received by Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican.

The two men were reported to have discussed on Tuesday the situation of Saudi Arabia's Christian minority, the need for greater inter-faith collaboration and prospects for peace in the Middle East.

They spoke for about half an hour in Benedict's private study with the help of interpreters in what both the Vatican and reporters described as a cordial atmosphere.

A Vatican statement said "the presence and hard work of Christians [in Saudi Arabia] was discussed".

Vatican sources said before the meeting that they expected Benedict to raise his concern over the situation of Catholics and other Christians in Saudi Arabia.

The Vatican wants greater rights for the one million Catholics who live in Saudi Arabia, most of them migrant workers who are not allowed to practise their religion in public.

They are only allowed to worship in private places, usually homes, and cannot wear signs of their faith in public.

The Vatican said other topics discussed included inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue and "collaboration among Christians, Muslims and Jews for the promotion of peace, justice and spiritual and moral values, especially those which support the family".

Benedict and Abdullah also discussed the Middle East, particularly the need to find "a just solution to the conflicts that afflict the region, in particular the Israeli-Palestinian [conflict]".

Many Muslims around the world protested last year after Benedict, speaking at a university in his native Germany, used a quote that associated Islam with violence.

He later said he was misunderstood and has several times expressed esteem for Muslims.



At the end of the meeting, Abdullah gave Benedict a gold and silver sword studded with precious jewels, in keeping with a bedouin custom the Saudis follow when foreign leaders visit their country.

The king also presented Benedict with a small silver and gold statue depicting a palm tree and a man riding a camel.

In an interview with Reuters on the eve of the meeting, the bishop in charge of Catholics in Saudi Arabia called on the country to guarantee more freedom and security for minority Christians and allow more priests in to minister to the faithful.

"What I am hoping is that there can be more security and freedom for our people in a very low profile manner," Paul Hinder, a Swiss bishop who is based in Abu Dhabi, said.

"I am not expecting to be able to build a cathedral. But at least [we need] the freedom to worship in security



King Abdullah meets
with Pope Benedict XVI



VATICAN CITY, Nov. 6 (Pravda) - Pope Benedict XVI met with King Abdullah, king of Saudi Arabia. It was the first meeting between a pontiff and a reigning Saudi monarch. Vatican concerns about restrictions on Christian worship in the Muslim kingdom.

The Vatican said the "positive presence and work of Christians was raised" during the talks between Benedict and King Abdullah, who is protector of Islam's holiest sites.

The talks were "warm" and allowed a wide discussion on the need for interreligious and intercultural dialogue among Christians, Muslims and Jews "for the promotion of peace, justice and spiritual and moral values, especially in support of the family," the Vatican said in a statement.

Both sides also emphasized the need for a "just solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Vatican said.

Benedict has said he wants to reach out to all countries that still don't have diplomatic relations with the Holy See, which include Saudi Arabia and China.

At the same time, Benedict and other Vatican officials have often protested that Christians are unable to worship openly in Saudi Arabia and are barred from opening churches in the desert kingdom.

The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano said the Vatican hoped the meeting would produce a frank dialogue between the two sides over the issue, noting that there are more than 1 million Christian guest workers in Saudi Arabia.

Abdullah also met separately with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.

At the start of the audience, Benedict warmly greeted Abdullah, grasping both his hands before heading into 30 minutes of private talks in his library.

The Vatican said Abdullah had requested the audience, which came during his European tour. He had visited the Vatican twice before, as crown prince and deputy prime minister.

At the end of the meeting, Abdullah presented Benedict with a traditional Middle Eastern gift - a golden sword studded with jewels - as well as a gold and silver statue of a palm tree and man riding a camel.



The pope admired the statue but merely touched the sword.

Benedict sparked anger in the Muslim world in 2006 when he delivered a speech linking Islam to violence.

He said he was misunderstood and regretted offending Muslims. Since then, he has met a number of Islamic leaders and a year ago visited predominantly Muslim Turkey.

The Vatican has said it wants to pursue a dialogue with moderate Muslims.


Saudi king has historic meeting
with Pope Benedict



VATICAN CITY, Nov, 6 (AP) - Benedict XVI raised concerns about restrictions on Christian worship in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday in the first meeting ever between a pope and a reigning Saudi king.

Benedict and other Vatican officials have often protested that Christians are unable to worship openly in Saudi Arabia and are barred from opening churches in the desert kingdom where Islam's holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, are located.

King Abdullah, the protector of the holy sites, requested the audience during his European tour, the Vatican said. Benedict warmly greeted the king, grasping both his hands before heading into 30 minutes of private talks in his library.

At the end of the meeting, Abdullah presented Benedict with a traditional Middle Eastern gift -- a golden sword studded with jewels -- as well as a gold and silver statue of a palm tree and man riding a camel. The pope admired the statue but merely touched the sword.

Islam is the official religion of Saudi Arabia and the kingdom requires all Saudi citizens to be Muslims. Only Muslims can visit the cities of Mecca and Medina.

Under the authoritarian rule of the royal family, the kingdom enforces strict Sharia, or Islamic law. It follows a severe interpretation of Islam known as Wahhabism which rejects the possibility of diplomatic relations with a Christian entity. This interpretation would prohibit a Vatican embassy in Saudi Arabia on the grounds it would be equivalent to raising the cross inside the site of Islam's holiest places.

It is forbidden to practice Christianity publicly inside Saudi Arabia, and it is illegal to bring symbols from religions other than Islam into the country. Bibles and crosses, for instance, are confiscated at the border.

Some Christian worship services are held secretly, but the government has been known to crack down on them, or deport workers from the Philippines if they are known to hold even private services.

The United States has also criticized Saudi Arabia's restrictions on other religions.

The Vatican has said it wants to pursue a dialogue with moderate Muslims after the pope angered the Muslim world in 2006 with a speech linking Islam to violence.

He later said he was misunderstood and regretted offending Muslims. He has since met a number of Islamic leaders and a year ago visited predominantly Muslim Turkey.

The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano said the Vatican hoped the meeting with the Saudi king would produce a frank dialogue on Christian worship in the country, noting that there are more than 1 million Christian guest workers in Saudi Arabia.

The Vatican said the "positive presence and work of Christians was raised" during the talks. The talks were "warm" and allowed a wide discussion on the need for interreligious and intercultural dialogue among Christians, Muslims and Jews "for the promotion of peace, justice and spiritual and moral values, especially in support of the family," a statement said.

Benedict has said he wants to reach out to all countries that still do not have diplomatic relations with the Vatican, which include Saudi Arabia and China.

Abdullah had visited the Vatican twice before, as crown prince and deputy prime minister.


Pope meets Saudi king
in historic visit



VATICAN CITY (AFP) - Pope Benedict XVI raised the issue of Christians living in Saudi Arabia in a historic meeting Tuesday with King Abdullah, the first monarch of the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom to visit the Vatican.

During their talks, which also touched on conflicts in the Middle East, the pope highlighted "the positive and hard-working presence of the Christians" in Saudi Arabia, a Vatican communique said.

The two men also stressed "the value of collaboration among Christians, Muslims and Jews" and renewed a commitment to "intercultural and inter-faith dialogue with the goal of peaceful and fruitful coexistence," the statement said.

The Holy See does not have diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia, which is home to Islam's holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina and applies a rigorous doctrine of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism.

The question of religious freedoms for the roughly one million Christians and other non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia remains an extremely sensitive one.

In September, the US State Department's annual report on religious freedoms noted some improvement in "specific areas" in Saudi Arabia but said overall government policies continued to place "severe restrictions on religious freedom."

The report mentioned discrimination against non-Muslims, or against Muslims with practices other than Wahhabism, citing allegations of harassment, abuse and "even killings".

The groundbreaking talks were not King Abdullah's first contact with the head of the Roman Catholic Church, since he met Pope Benedict's predecessor John Paul II in 1999 when he was crown prince to his half brother King Fahd.

King Abdullah, 84, and the 80-year-old pontiff also exchanged "ideas on the Middle East and the need to find a fair solution to the conflicts afflicting the region, in particular the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," the Vatican communique said.

The king offered Pope Benedict a gold sword encrusted with precious stones and accepted a 16th-century engraving of the Vatican in return.



Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi met the Saudi king later, saying afterward that he hoped a planned Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, later this year would "yield solid expectations for an end, once and for all, to this conflict."

He said the conference held out "strong expectations" among Palestinians for a future sovereign state "with geographical continuity in peace and security with the state of Israel, which in turn would be recognised by all the countries of the region."

Prodi also mentioned the upcoming election by the Lebanese parliament of a new president, saying that Italy and Saudi Arabia were in "constant close contact to facilitate dialogue and to exhort Lebanese political forces to reach a compromise in the primary interests of the people."

Lebanese officials said Tuesday that the parliamentary speaker might again postpone a special session to elect a president to replace Emile Lahoud, whose mandate expires November 24.

Two other sessions to pick a president have already been delayed for lack of consensus between the Western-backed ruling majority and the Hezbollah-led opposition supported by Syria and Iran.

King Abdullah, who ascended the throne two years ago, had arrived in Rome late Monday following a lavish three-day visit to London at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II.

That visit, the first by a Saudi monarch in 20 years, sparked human rights protests.

King Abdullah's meeting with the pope came as relations between the Vatican and the Muslim world have eased since the crisis provoked in September 2006 when the pontiff appeared to link Islam with violence in a speech at a German university.

The lecture sparked days of sometimes violent protests in Muslim countries, prompting the pontiff to say that he was "deeply sorry" for any offence and attributing Muslim anger to an "unfortunate misunderstanding".

King Abdullah will travel on to Germany and Turkey before returning home.


POPE LAUDS CHRISTIAN PRESENCE
IN SAUDI ARABIA

VATICAN CITY, Nov. 6 (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI lauded the contributions of Christians in Saudi Arabia — a kingdom that embraces a strict version of Islam, restricts worship by other faiths and bans Bibles and crucifixes — in the first meeting ever Tuesday between a pope and reigning Saudi king.

Benedict and the Vatican's No. 2 official raised their concerns during separate meetings with King Abdullah, the protector of Islam's holiest sites.

The Vatican counts 890,000 Catholics, mainly guest workers from the Philippines, among the estimated 1.5 million Christians in Saudi Arabia. Christians are barred from opening churches in the desert kingdom where Islam's holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, are located.

"The Vatican authorities expressed their hope for the prosperity of all the inhabitants of the country, and mention was made of the positive and industrious presence of Christians," said the Vatican communique on the meetings, referring in diplomatic language to the religious plight of non-Muslims in the kingdom.



Benedict greeted the king warmly, grasping both his hands before heading into 30 minutes of private talks in his library.

At the end of the meeting, Abdullah presented Benedict with a traditional Middle Eastern gift — a golden sword studded with jewels — and a gold and silver statue of a palm tree and a man riding a camel. The pope admired the statue but merely touched the sword.



He gave Abdullah a 16th century print and a gold medal of his pontificate.

Islam is the official religion of Saudi Arabia, and the kingdom requires all Saudi citizens to be Muslims. Only Muslims can visit the cities of Mecca and Medina.

Under the authoritarian rule of the royal family, the kingdom enforces Sharia, or Islamic law. It follows a severe interpretation of Islam known as Wahhabism that rejects the possibility of diplomatic relations with a Christian entity. This interpretation would prohibit a Vatican embassy in Saudi Arabia on the grounds it is equivalent to raising the cross inside Islam's holiest places.

The Vatican maintains diplomatic relations with 176 states and institutions, including many in the Islamic world. Before the king's meeting with the pope, a Saudi official said the Vatican has not asked to have a diplomatic mission in the kingdom or to have diplomatic relations.

And a Vatican official said Saudi Arabia has never asked for such a relationship. The official, who asked that his name not be used because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Saudi Arabia is effectively a theocratic state but that the Vatican believes it must speak out for the rights of believers.

It is forbidden to practice Christianity publicly inside Saudi Arabia, and it is illegal to bring symbols from religions other than Islam into the country. Bibles and crosses are confiscated at the border.

Some Christian worship services are held secretly, but the government has been known to crack down on them, or deport Filipino workers if they hold even private services.

The Vatican has said it wants to pursue a dialogue with moderate Muslims after the pope angered the Muslim world in 2006 with a speech linking Islam to violence.

He later said he was misunderstood and regretted offending Muslims. He has since met a number of Islamic leaders and a year ago visited predominantly Muslim Turkey.

The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano said the Vatican hoped the meeting with the Saudi king would produce a "sincere" dialogue on Christian worship in the country.

The Vatican said the talks were "warm" and allowed a wide discussion on the need for inter-religious and intercultural dialogue among Christians, Muslims and Jews "for the promotion of peace, justice and spiritual and moral values, especially in support of the family," a statement said.

Benedict has said he wants to reach out to all countries that still do not have diplomatic relations with the Vatican. Those countries include Saudi Arabia and China.

Abdullah had visited the Vatican twice before, as crown prince and deputy prime minister.


POPE LAUDS HARD-WORKING
CHRISTIANS IN SAUDI ARABIA

VATICAN CITY, Nov. 6 (AFP) - Pope Benedict XVI raised the issue of Christians living in Saudi Arabia in a historic meeting Tuesday with King Abdullah, the first monarch of the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom to visit the Vatican.

During their talks, which also touched on conflicts in the Middle East, the pope highlighted "the positive and hard-working presence of the Christians" in Saudi Arabia, a Vatican communique said.

The two men also stressed "the value of collaboration among Christians, Muslims and Jews" and renewed a commitment to "intercultural and inter-faith dialogue with the goal of peaceful and fruitful coexistence," the statement said.

The Holy See does not have diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia, which is home to Islam's holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina and applies a rigorous doctrine of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism.

The question of religious freedoms for the roughly one million Christians and other non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia remains an extremely sensitive one.

In September, the US State Department's annual report on religious freedoms noted some improvement in "specific areas" in Saudi Arabia but said overall government policies continued to place "severe restrictions on religious freedom."

The report mentioned discrimination against non-Muslims, or against Muslims with practices other than Wahhabism, citing allegations of harassment, abuse and "even killings".

The groundbreaking talks were not King Abdullah's first contact with the head of the Roman Catholic Church, since he met Pope Benedict's predecessor John Paul II in 1999 when he was crown prince to his half brother King Fahd.

King Abdullah, 84, and the 80-year-old pontiff also exchanged "ideas on the Middle East and the need to find a fair solution to the conflicts afflicting the region, in particular the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," the Vatican communique said.

The king offered Pope Benedict a gold sword encrusted with precious stones and accepted a 16th-century engraving of the Vatican in return.

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi met the Saudi king later, saying afterward that he hoped a planned Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, later this year would "yield solid expectations for an end, once and for all, to this conflict."

He said the conference held out "strong expectations" among Palestinians for a future sovereign state "with geographical continuity in peace and security with the state of Israel, which in turn would be recognised by all the countries of the region."

Prodi also mentioned the upcoming election by the Lebanese parliament of a new president, saying that Italy and Saudi Arabia were in "constant close contact to facilitate dialogue and to exhort Lebanese political forces to reach a compromise in the primary interests of the people."

Lebanese officials said Tuesday that the parliamentary speaker might again postpone a special session to elect a president to replace Emile Lahoud, whose mandate expires November 24.

Two other sessions to pick a president have already been delayed for lack of consensus between the Western-backed ruling majority and the Hezbollah-led opposition supported by Syria and Iran.

King Abdullah, who ascended the throne two years ago, had arrived in Rome late Monday following a lavish three-day visit to London at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II.

That visit, the first by a Saudi monarch in 20 years, sparked human rights protests.

King Abdullah's meeting with the pope came as relations between the Vatican and the Muslim world have eased since the crisis provoked in September 2006 when the pontiff appeared to link Islam with violence in a speech at a German university.

The lecture sparked days of sometimes violent protests in Muslim countries, prompting the pontiff to say that he was "deeply sorry" for any offence and attributing Muslim anger to an "unfortunate misunderstanding".

King Abdullah will travel on to Germany and Turkey before returning home.

By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
The New York Times
Published: November 6, 2007

ROME, Nov. 6 — Pope Benedict XVI and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia clasped hands at the Vatican on Tuesday in the first meeting ever between a pope and the Saudi monarch, who is entrusted to protect Mecca, the birthplace of Mohammad and the center of the Islamic world.

The two met for half an hour, speaking through interpreters, in a conversation that a Vatican press release later said was cordial and covered themes from the "value of collaboration between Christians, Muslims and Jews for promoting peace" and "the necessity of finding a just solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Marco Politi, the Vatican correspondent for La Repubblica and a biographer of Pope John Paul II, said, "I think it is extraordinarily important that an official communiqué from the Vatican and an important Islamic state like Saudi Arabia mentions 'cooperation' between Christians Muslims and Jews — not dialogue but cooperation."

The meeting, presaged by an upbeat front-page story in L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican's official newspaper, was also a clear attempt by the Vatican to repair damage done by the pope's earlier statement on Islam, which had been seen as insensitive if not incendiary in the Arab world.

In a speech in Regensburg, Germany, a little over a year ago, Benedict quoted a 14th-century Byzantine emperor who called Islam "evil and inhuman." The comment led to protests in Islamic nations, and prompted some Islamic states to recall their ambassadors to the Vatican. Firebombers attacked churches in the West Bank and Gaza, gunmen killed an Italian nun in Somalia, and the pope himself was threatened. The Vatican expressed "deepest regrets" but said the remark had been misinterpreted in a way that "absolutely did not correspond" to the pope's intentions.

The article in the Vatican newspaper seemed to open the door for a new diplomatic initiative toward Islam and the Middle East. It said the meeting with King Adbullah was "of great importance," noting, "In a world where the boundaries have become day by day more open, dialogue is not a choice but a necessity."

The article also acknowledged that some weeks ago Pope Benedict had received a letter from 138 Islamic religious leaders from 43 nations, appealing for more dialogue between Christians and Muslims. As the weeks went by with no response, some scholars here had complained that the pope seemed slow to address an important appeal. The Vatican allayed those fears Tuesday.

The meeting represents a triumph of sorts for the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and especially for Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Cardinal Tauran, who previously served the church in Lebanon and Syria, is familiar with the Middle East and has promoted greater contact with Islamic states.

But official statements issued Tuesday made no mention of establishing diplomatic relations between the Vatican and Saudi Arabia, and it was not clear that the topic was even discussed. In May, the United Arab Emirates became the latest Islamic country to establish diplomatic relations with the Vatican, according to the Vatican paper.

One reason why the Vatican is interested in forging diplomatic relations, or at least greater diplomatic influence, in the Middle East is the presence of significant Roman Catholic populations living in predominantly Muslim countries. Almost all are guest workers from elsewhere. There are 1.5 million Christians in Saudi Arabia, the Vatican noted, the majority of them Catholics from the Philippines.

The State Department has criticized Saudi Arabia for religious intolerance and persecution of non-Muslims. "Charges of harassment, abuse and even killings at the hands of the muttawa (religious police) continue to surface," the department said in a report issued this year.

But little sign of tension was evident Tuesday. The pope gave the king a 16th-century engraving of the Vatican and a gold medal with his seal. The king gave the pope a sword, telling him it was "made of gold and precious stones."

In 1999, long before becoming king, Abdullah met Benedict's predecessor, John Paul II, who also met other prominent Muslim leaders, including Mohammad Khatami, a moderate cleric who was president of Iran, also in 1999.


SOURCE: www.nytimes.com/2007/11/06/world/07vatican.html?_r=1&hp&ore...

==================================================================


The report in the LA Times provides additional context:

Benedict XVI meets with Saudi king in Vatican City
By Maria De Cristofaro and Jeffrey Fleishman
Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
November 7, 2007

ROME - Pope Benedict XVI met with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday at a time of strained relations between Islam and Christianity over global terrorism, the Iraq war and the lack of religious freedoms for nearly 1 million Roman Catholic migrant workers living in the Persian Gulf state.

It was the first meeting between a Saudi monarch, who also oversees Islam's holiest shrine at Mecca, and the head of the Catholic Church. The talks in the pope's Vatican library came a year after Benedict suggested that Islam was prone to violence, igniting a furor across the Muslim world and setting back interreligious efforts by his predecessor, Pope John Paul II.

It was unclear whether the 30-minute conversation between the two leaders, both octogenarians draped in pressed robes, rose beyond the symbolic. The Vatican has urged the Saudis to loosen religious restrictions in the kingdom, which forbids non-Muslim religious services and icons such as crucifixes. Many migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, most of whom are Filipinos working as maids and laborers, attend Mass in private homes in near secrecy.

The Vatican media office said the meeting was cordial and "provided an opportunity to consider questions close to the heart" of both sides. The statement said that Vatican officials wished for the prosperity of all peoples living in Saudi Arabia while noting "the positive and industrious presence of Christians."

Saudi Arabia and the Holy See do not have formal diplomatic relations; the country's practice of strict Wahhabi Islam opposes close ties to Christian organizations on Saudi soil.

The meeting and handshake between the king and the pope offered encouragement to efforts to resolve the religious and political turmoil across the Middle East. The Vatican statement said the two leaders emphasized the "importance of collaboration between Christians, Muslims and Jews for the promotion of peace, justice and spiritual and moral values."

The trip to a city-state of holy crypts and exquisitely painted saints was politically risky for Abdullah, who since taking power in 2005 has lifted his country's standing in the Arab world while contending with Al Qaeda and other extremist networks.

Many Muslim clerics and intellectuals view Benedict as a dogmatic conservative who disparages religions other than Catholicism and lacks John Paul II's diplomatic skills and moral stature.

"This is a very courageous step by King Abdullah given all the pressures he faces in Saudi society from extremists who regard Christians as enemies," said Mustafa Alani, a political analyst at the Gulf Research Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. "These talks are more important than a meeting with any other Arab leader. The king comes from the heart of Islam."

Alani added, however, that although the talks were a "major step, this will not mean the establishment of diplomatic relations tomorrow or anytime soon."

Relations between Christianity and Islam have become more sensitive since the Sept. 11 attacks. And though the friction has eased over the last year, divisions remain. Christian clergy have criticized Muslim religious leaders for not speaking more forcefully against Islamic radicals, especially in Saudi Arabia.

In Europe, the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations are facing falling church attendance at the same time mosques and Islamic schools are being built to meet the needs of a growing population of Muslim immigrants.

A native of Germany, Benedict has said Europe must not deny its "inalienable" Christian roots, a comment that drew criticism from Muslims. The remark followed Benedict's citing of a quote from a 14th century Byzantine emperor that linked Islam with violence and described the religion as "evil and inhuman."

The pope said the comment, made in a university lecture, was taken out of context, and he has since emphasized the need for interfaith understanding. In 2006, he visited predominantly Muslim Turkey, where he called for religious tolerance.

In recent weeks, Muslim leaders from 43 nations sent the pope a letter urging the Vatican to promote religious dialogue.

"In every civilization there is a positive side that must be followed when there's a possibility of conflict with other civilizations," Abdullah, who is on a European tour, was quoted as saying in the Saudi press the day he met Benedict. "The moment has come to restart proactive dialogue which destroys negative ideas and gives humanity hope for a bright future."

Tuesday's meeting, where the king reportedly presented Benedict with a jewel-encrusted golden sword, was the second time Abdullah had met with a pope. As crown prince, Abdullah met with John Paul in 1999.


De Cristofaro reported from Rome and Fleishman from Cairo.

November 6, 2007
Catholic News Agency (www.catholicnewsagency.com)

QUEBEC CITY (CNA) - A massive Catholic event is scheduled to take place in Quebec City in June 2008. Canada's first Eucharistic Congress since 1910 is expected to draw over 100,000 people and their numbers could include Pope Benedict XVI, reports the CanWest News Service. Local Catholics hopes it will revivify Christian life in the area.

"This will certainly be the culmination of our efforts to re-evangelize Quebec," said Cardinal Marc Oullet, the archbishop of Quebec. "We have been preparing for this for years. There is a need in Quebec to reconnect with our Christian roots and to revive the Catholic identity," he continued.

The International Eucharistic Congress will include 15,000 delegates and 50 cardinals from 60 countries will meet to foster devotion to the Eucharist. Pope Benedict XVI might visit to preside over the congress' outdoor Mass on the historic Plains of Abraham, the site of a 1759 battle that led to the British takeover of French Canada.

The congress also coincides with Quebec City's 400th anniversary.

Quebec was the center of a strong Catholic population until the 1960s, when the so-called Quiet Revolution began a rapid secularization of the region. The fallout from this secularization has caused many people to become hostile to the Catholic Church.

Cardinal Oullet expressed hope that the Eucharistic Congress would dispel some of that animosity. "There is a lot of criticism in the society now against the Catholic Church, and we need to be reminded of those positive values," the cardinal said.

Cardinal Oullet has invited Pope Benedict to the conference, but the Pope has not confirmed his attendance. The cardinal hopes to get a final answer at the end of November when he visits Rome.


SOURCE: www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?...

It's very embarassing not to have noted it, but I didn't, although I was looking hard for any visual changes that might have been apparent at the Papal Mass to commemorate deceased prelates two days ago - the first occasion at which Mons. Guido Marini acted as Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations.

But how much more obvious can it be? The Novus Ordo altar never contains any image of the Lord! Paolo Rodari of Il Riformista has an article that notes the change.


THE CROSS AT THE CENTER OF THE ALTAR -
and John XXIII's lace-trimmed alb
By PAOLO RODARI




Above all, the orientation. Without the right orientation, the assembly united in prayer becomes a closed circle that cannot go out of itself, which cannot open towards the magnificent supremacy of He who comes, the Lord, the Pierced One.

Without the right orientation, the assembly implodes and debases itself into a self-sufficient, autonomous community - which does not favor dialog with the One Beyond, and where every word becomes self-referential.

It was a great risk - the loss of the right physical orientation within the holy liturgy. And a risk that Benedict XVI has been trying to keep the faithful from further running. A very difficult task, especially in view of so many 'disobedient' priests and prelates even within the Vatican who see anything traditional as a regression to the past.

And yet it is a necessary task - in fact, fundamental - in order to keep the consistency between lex orandi and lex credendi, between those who pray and what they believe.

On October 1, Benedict XVI gave a concrete example in bringing back the liturgy to what it should be, when he named his new Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations - the Genoese and follower of Genoa's late venerated (and very traditional) Cardinal Siri, Guido Marini, in place of the openly liberal follower of Mons. Bugnini (main architect of the Novus Ordo), Piero Marini.

In a recent interview, Mons. Guido said he was 100% in favor of Pope Benedict XVI's Summorum Pontificum which formally recognized the full and equal legitimacy of the traditional Mass as a form of the Roman rite.

And the traditional Mass is distinguished, among others, by the physical orientation of the Mass celebrant and the assembly towards the altar - symbolically, towards the East, representing the coming of the Lord.

And so, two days ago, in his public debut as ceremonial master, Mons. Guido introduced his main innovation.

It was the Papal Mass celebrated at the Altar of Peter's Chair in St. Peter's Basilica - an altar constructed by Bernini in 1656-1665, which features four gigantic sculptures of the Doctors of the Western and Eastern Churches supporting the wooden chair which, tradition says, belonged to St. Peter himself. [However, only the Bernini sculpture and Chair remain: the altar-proper itself was ripped out in 1990 or thereabouts, in an anecdote recounted elsewhere on this Forum by an eyewitness to the architectural outrage, to be replaced by a Novus Ordo altar 'that looks like a picnic table'.]

Mons. Guido 'choreographed' the ceremony in sober, spiritual manner. In an interview a few days earlier, he had said, "It is not my place to introduce inventions but to apply liturgical norms scrupulously." And so he did.

During the whole ceremony, he was next to the Pope with folded hands. And the liturgy itself was a sumptuous return to the traditional orientation - towards the coming Lord, he who resurrected to show us the way.

And how did he do this? The Novus Ordo altar was the same, but in the middle, it had the Crucifix flanked by the ritual six candles. Since 1970, even papal Masses were celebrated without an image on the altar, with a Crucifix usually placed on the right side of the altar - out of the way of celebrants and concelebrants [and generally, out of notice by the congregation].

In this way, although Benedict XVXI faced the assembly, both he and they had a common center of attention - the Cross. This adaptation is an example of the 'democratic' applications possible [in the Novus Ordo] for correct liturgical practice.

As Cardinal Ratzinger said in his Introduction to the spirit of the liturgy, "Among the truly absurd phenomena of these times, I would list the fact that the Crucifix has been set to the side in order to allow the people to look at the priest without obstruction. Is the Cross, then, an obstruction during the Eucharist?"

Evidently not, because the Crucifix in the center of the altar means a great deal. It is a vestige of ancient usage in apostolic times - a custom which, more than any other, recalls that 'conversi ad Dominum' (turn to the Lord) as Augustine said, a literal conversion of one's gaze into an understanding that only when one goes beyond self does one reach the salvation one hopes for. It is symbolic - when one lacks orientation in liturgy, one can easily lose orientation in living the faith.

Monday's commemorative Mass was also an occasion to dust off another old custom - and 'costume'. Under his red chasuble, Benedict XVI wore an alb with lace-trimmed sleeves and a lace bottom [albs are usually plain fabric, at most with a few rows of modest 'openwork' as trimming] last worn by John XXIII. Mons. Guido has many such treasures to look through in the Pontifical Sacristy.





Monday's Mass could be seen as a kind of dress rehearsal, perhaps, for when Benedict XVI himself will celebrate his first traditional Mass in public.

Il Riformista, 7 novembre 2007


Finally, a good picture of Mons. Guido assisting the Pope:


=====================================================================

Here is the full quote from Cardinal Ratzinger about using the Cross as a focal point for the Mass:

---

Facing toward the East, as we heard, was linked with the "sign of the Son of Man", with the Cross, which announces Our Lord's Second Coming. That is why, very early on, the East was linked with the sign of the cross. Where a direct common turning toward the East is not possible, the cross can serve as the interior "East" of faith. It should stand in the middle of the altar and be the common point of focus for both priest and praying community.

In this way we obey the ancient call to prayer: Conversi ad Dominum, "Turn to the Lord!" In this way we look together at the One whose Death tore the veil of the Temple - the One who stands before the Father for us and encloses us in His arms in order to make us the new and living Temple.

Moving the altar cross to the side to give an uninterrupted view of the priest is something I regard as one of the truly absurd phenomena of recent decades. Is the cross disruptive during Mass? Is the priest more important than Our Lord?

This mistake should be corrected as quickly as possible; it can be done without further rebuilding. The Lord is the point of reference. He is the rising sun of history.

Joseph Ratzinger
The Spirit of the Liturgy

---

A full translation of the Holy Father's catechesis has been posted in AUDIENCE AND ANGELUS TEXTS.












CATECHESIS ON ST. JEROME

This is how the Holy Father synthesized his catechesis in English today:

---

In our catechesis on the teachers of the early Church, we now turn to Saint Jerome, who was responsible for the Latin version of the Bible known as the Vulgate.

Jerome made the Scriptures the centre of his life, translating the inspired word of God, commenting upon its teaching and, above all, striving to live his life in accordance with its precepts.

Born in Dalmatia in the middle of the fourth century and educated in Rome, he embraced the ascetic life and devoted himself to the study of Hebrew and Greek. After a sojourn in the East, he returned to Rome as secretary to Pope Damasus, who encouraged him in his work of translation. He then retired to the Holy Land, where he founded monasteries and a hospice for pilgrims in Bethlehem.

Jerome’s entire life, his vast erudition and the spiritual wisdom born of his ascetic lifestyle were devoted to the service of God’s word, the refutation of heresy and the encouragement of Christian culture.

Let us take to heart the words which this great master of the spiritual life once addressed to Saint Paulinus of Nola, and "seek to learn on earth those truths which will remain ever valid in heaven".

---

ECUMENICAL ENCOUNTER

The Italian service of Vatican Radio adds this information:



It was a significant moment at the end of the General Audience, when Benedict XVI greeted Archbishop Innokentiy of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow.

The Archbishop presented him with a booklet that had Patriarch Alexei II on the cover.


And from APCOM:

POPE MEETS ROMANIAN PREMIER



VATICAN CITY, Nov. 7 (APcom) - Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, accompanied by his wife, had a ten-minute private audience with Pope Benedict XVI today after the General Audience. They met in a room next to Aula Paolo VI, according to Fr. Federico Lombardi, Vatican press director.

The Romanian premier had requested the special meeting in view of the current tension between Italy and Romania over violent crimes committed by recent Romanian immigrants to Italy.

Fr. Lombardi said Tariceanu thanked the Pope and the Holy See for the welcome given by Church institutions to immigrants and for his words about the immigrant situation at Angelus on Sunday. He asked the PoPE to continue supporting tHe cause of immigrants and their peaceful assimilation into the host country.


WITH THE PRESIDENT
OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL



VATICAN CITY, Nov 7 (PETRUS) - Another important guest who spoke to Pope Benedict XVI iven a private audience today after the General Audience was William Wilkinson, president of Rotary International.

A Rotary announcement said, "It was not a simple courtesy visit, but a particular recognition of the extraordinary personal commitment by businessmen and philanthropists in the worldwide Rotary campaign to eradicate polio, whcih has resulted so far in saving some two billion children."

Wilkinson was honored in 2001 by John Pauk II with the Pontifical Cross 'Pro Ecclesia et Pontefice', an equestrian order instituted by Leo XIII. Today was his first meeting with Pope Benedict.

Lst Oct. 25, the United Nations Association of New York honored Rotary International and its foundation with the Humanitarian Recognition Prize for its worldwide campaign to assure hygienic conditions and safe drinking water for many poor areas in the world.

There were good interpretive articles from the leading Vaticanisti, which I will post here as I can translate them. I'll start with Marco Tosatti's in La Stampa, because he - rightly, I believe - sees the meeting as an indirect outcome of the Regensburg lecture:




The Pope and the Saudi king:
The dialog starts
By MARCO TOSATTI


It was a historic meeting - the first ever, between the King of Saudi Arabia, 'custodian of the sacred mosques' (Mecca and Medina) and the Pope.

It was a sign - and not the first one - that something is moving in relationships between the Vatican and Islam, at least on the level of good intentions and attempts at dialog.

An unforeseeable outcome after the famous Regensburg crisis, when Benedict XVI cited a Byzantine emperor who was very critical of Islam and its prophet.

But yesterday there was absolutely no hint of controversy: Benedict XVI came forward to greet the Saudi monarch, extending both his hands, with great warmth.

Andullah II, dressed in a blue robe with a gold-trimmed white cloak over it and with the typical Arabian headdress, responded just as warmly.

Then they had a half hour conversation in the presence of two interpreters, both priests.

The Pope gave the Saudi sovereign a 16th century engraving showing St. Peter's Basilica, as well as gold commemorative medallions of his Pontificate.

The king presented the Pope with a gold and silver sculpture showing a palm tree and a man on a camel, and an original gift - a gold sword decorated with precious stones in a sheath of pure gold. It was so extraordinary even the Pope showed surprise.

The final communique was restrained but full of elements open to interpretation.

"The talks," it said, "took place in a climate of cordiality and allowed the participants to speak about issues that were close to their hearts. In particular, they re-stated the commitment to inter-cultural and inter-religious dialog, aimed at fruitful and peaceful coexistence among men and peoples; and the value of collaboration among Christians, Muslims and Jews for the promotion of peace, justice and moral and spiritual values, especially in support of the family."

The reference to the Jews cannot be taken for granted, given the position of Saudi Arabia. [Abdullah proposes pan-Arab recognition for Israel if the latter returns to its 1967 borders.]

Then there was a non-polemical nod, which could be significant, to the Christian residents of Saudi Arabia, even if most of them are temporary: "In wishing prosperity to all the residents of Saudi Arabia on the part of Vatican authorities, a reference was made to the positive and industrious presence of Christians."

Up to two million Christian foreigners live in Saudi Arabia as workers [in positions Saudis cannot or do not want to hold - from managerial and technical workers in the oil industry, to manual laborers employed in airports, hotels and municipal governments, to domestics working for middle-class and wealthy Arab families].

All Christians are prohibited from public worship of their religion or from carrying any public signs of it (Crosses, Bibles, rosaries, etc), under pain of severe punishment from Saudi Arabia's religious police.

There are no churches in the kingdom, except in some embassies, and even Masses in private homes are forbidden. The reason: "All Arabia is a mosque." Therefore, not only is construction of churches not allowed; no spiritual assistance whatsoever is permitted for non-Muslims.

The communique, although devoid of any controversial points, served at least to call attention to he existence of 'catacomb Christians' in Saudi Arabia.

Last point in the communique, with substantial agreement on both sides: "There was an exchange of ideas on the Middle East and on the need to find a just solution to the conflicts which afflict the region, particularly that between Israel and Palestine."

It might seem paradoxical, but perhaps the Regensburg crisis set into motion a search for dialog on the part of Muslims. [It is not paradoxical, seeing as the original message uncluttered by the controversial citation - was a call for dialog, among other things.][

Recently, 138 Muslim scholars sent a letter to the Pope and other Christian leaders which was much appreciated, because the signatories come from 43 countries, and it seems to signal a growing accord (or that which Arabic calls 'igmaa', consensus) towards finding a common road with Christians.

The Jesuit priest Samir Khalil Samir, analyzing the letter, said "let us hope that the nest step will see them facing the most sensitive questions regarding religious freedom. the absolute value of human rights, the relationship between religion and society, and the use of violence - in short, all the questions which concern the Islamic world (and I would say, above all, the Muslims themselves) as well as
the West."

La Stampa, 7 novembre 2007

======================================================================


His Holiness meets the King
By ANDREA TORNIELLI


It was the first meeting between a Saudi king and the Pope. Abdullah II, the monarch of Riyadh, met Benedict at noon yesterday. The Holy See, in a communique that was issued also in Arabic, said that talks took place 'in a climate of cordiality' which allowed them 'to speak on maters close to their hearts.'

At the center of talks with the Pope - which lasted half an hour - and subsequently with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican Secretary of state and 'foreign minister' Mons. Dominique Mamberti, were the "commitment to inter-cultural and inter-religious dialog" aimed at peaceful coexistence and "the value of collaboration among Christians, Muslims and Jews in the promotion of peace, justice and spiritual and moral values, especially in support of the family."

The reference to the Jews was important and unexpected, at a time when there are Muslim states who are calling for the elimination of the state of Israel.

The Pope, on his part, spoke to the Saudi King of the 'positive' presence of Christians in Saudi Arabia.

Finally, during both meetings, there was an emphasis on 'the need for finding a just solution to the conflicts which afflict the region', particularly that between Israel and Palestine.

But more than the words exchanged yesterday was the gesture of the visit itself.

Abdullah II had met with John Paul II during a trip to Italy in May 1999 when he was vice-minister for defense and commandant of the National Guard.

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal was received three times by Papa Wojtyla and had an audience with Benedict XVI in Castel Gandolfo last September.

But that the Saudi King - custodian of the holy mosques of Mecca and Medina - entered the Sacred Palaces to meet with the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church is a historic event, as even the Arab media has commented.

Evidently, Abdullah is in a difficult position. The growing assertion of leadership in the region by Iran weakens Saudi Arabia, which feels threatened. [Has anyone considered the fact that Saudi Arabia, for all its wealth, has never had nuclear ambitions although it knows Israel has the bomb? Perhaps at the heart of its questionable alliance with the United States is that it trusts the United States enough to protect it from any nuclear threat and to keep Israel from using the bomb against Saudi Arabia.]

And the internal situation in that country, where for years, fundamentalism has been fodder, has become explosively risky.

For all this, the Saudi King needs allies, to show himself open to dialog and religious tolerance. Therefore, he requested this audience with the Pope. The Vatican gladly gave it, in return for a commitment to dialog and religious tolerance.

It is, of course, well-known that Saudi Arabia is one of the countries where there is no religious freedom, where being caught in possession of a Bible can land you in jail, and anyone who tries to preach Christianity can be sentenced to death. Members of any non-Muslim faith cannot practice their religion.

And in recent years, Saudi institutions have imposed on non-Muslims a sort of passive devotion, by requiring them, for instance, during Ramadan not to eat, drink or smoke in public, in the streets and in stores and offices.

Saudi Arabia presents itself as a 100 percent Muslim country, but according to AsiaNews, it has between 1.5-2 million Christian immigrant workers. There are no churches or priests, except within some embassies, and prayer assemblies in private homes are prohibited.

The reason is that "All Arabia is a mosque" because it is Holy Land for Islam. Thus, building a Christian church, or even a chapel, is not allowed, because "It would be like asking to construct a mosque in the Vatican", the Saudi authorities have always said. Meanwhile, Saudi money has financed construction of the biggest mosques in the West.

Pope Benedict XVI hopes, obviously, that this will change soon.

Il Giornale, 7 novembre 2007





HISTORIC MEETING AT THE VATICAN
by MARCO POLITI


A thirty-minute talk between the Successor of Peter and the Protector of the Sacred Mosques of Islam open a new page in relations between the Catholic Church and the Muslim world.

At 12:30 p.m., King Abdullah in blue robe and white cloak, his face framed by his white kaffiyah, came face to face with the white figure of Benedict XVI who waited at the door of his library and took both the King's hands in his.

It was the first time that a king of the Wahhabi dynasty, representing a rigidly orthodox and proselytical Islam, has breached Vatican walls to dialog with the head of a billion and 200-thousand Catholics.

The Pope was clearly taken aback when the Saudi king presented him a bejeweled golden sword, barely touching it, as he presented his more modest gifts: a historic engraving of the Vatican and the golden commemorative medallions of his Pontificate.

But in the Arab world, it is said that whoever bears a sword as a gift comes in peace - and the Pope and King Abdullah concluded their meeting with a communique of unprecedented tone.

In black and white, the Protector of Mecca and the Roman Pontiff declared agreement on the importance of 'collaboration among Christians, Muslims and Jews'.

Therefore, the two did not only agree on inter-cultural and inter-religious dialog for the 'peaceful and fruitful coexistence" among peoples, but something more: concrete cooperation among Christians, Muslims and Jews for 'justice and peace' in the world, besides safeguarding spiritual and moral values, 'especially in favor of the family.'

The unexpected - and therefore, historical - reference to a trialog (which was so dear to the heart of Papa Wojtyla) appears to indicate that King Abdullah is very serious with his pan-Arab offer of global peace with Israel, in exchange for a retreat from all occupied Palestinian territory, and is equally determined to stabilize the Middle East through cooperation among different religions and peoples.

This attitude assists the coming international conference in Annapolis on the Middle East called by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, but it is clear that both the Vatican and Arab public opinion want the negotiations to start in serious.

The meeting allowed Benedict XVI to introduce the question of freedom of worship for the two million foreign Christian workers and professionals in Saudi Arabia. That is completely prohibited.

Under Paul VI, the Vatican did not object to the construction in Rome of one of the largest mosques in Europe. The Saudi authorities have reasoned only that all of Arabia is Holy Land to Islam, but the Vatican has said that ways can be found to allow religious freedom.

Benedict's approach was delicate. In wishing every good for the Saudi nation, he also underscored 'the positive and industrious presence of Christians' in that country.

The Vatican also believes in a calibrated approach. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, with whom King Abdullah met afterwards, reiterated and underscored the urgency of stabilizing the Middle East and providing guarantees for religious freedom.

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan begins a visit to Italy today, and if he should request a meeting with the Pope, the Vatican will not say No.

Repubblica, 7 novembre 2007

=====================================================================


KING ABDULLAH'S HISTORIC VISIT:
A COMMITMENT TO DIALOG
by LUIGI ACCATTOLI


His gold-trimmed white cloak over a blue robe resembled the Vatican style almost familiarly as the King of Saudi Arabia entered the private library of the Pope shortly after noon yesterday .

But it was an extraordinary event. Never before had a Saudi King been received by a Pope. Especially since their positions on many issues could hardly be more different.

The meeting should be read in the light of its protocolar uniqueness and in the context of King Abdullah's European mission. He has been to London - where he was greeted by great controversy - and to Geneva, and is proceeding to Germany and Turkey, soliciting support for the Palestinian position at the coming Middle East conference called by President Bush in Annapolis.

In this context, there is pregnant meaning to the moderate declarations of the Vatican communique which expresses the hope for 'a just solution' to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and refers to the 'positive and industrious presence of Christians' in Saudi Arabia, after highlighting 'the value of collaboration among Christians, Muslims and Jews.'

The conversation with the Pope lasted 30 minutes. Abdullah, who is 83, met John Paul II at the Vatican in 1999, when he was only vice-minister of defense and commandant of the Saudi National Guard. He was also the Crown Prince.

The meeting yesterday had been paved by an audience granted by Benedict XVI to the Saudi foreign minister in Castel Gandolfo last September.

The Vatican communique said the meeting with the Pope was followed by one with the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.

"The talks," it said, "took place in a climate of cordiality and allowed the participants to speak about issues that were close to their hearts. In particular, they re-stated the commitment to inter-cultural and inter-religious dialog, aimed at fruitful and peaceful coexistence among men and peoples; and the value of collaboration among Christians, Muslims and Jews for the promotion of peace, justice and moral and spiritual values, especially in support of the family."

The prudent language of the communique appears to stress the inter-religious aspect of the meetings over the political. Even more prudent was the reference to the total lack of religious freedom for the Christian minority in Saudi Arabia.

"In wishing prosperity on all the inhabitants of the nation, Vatican authorities brought up the positive and industrious presence of Christians in that country."

It might seem a weak statement, but it means something, according to the Vatican, that the statement could be made after a meeting with the leader of the most theocratic of Muslim states.

Hardly more concrete in the communique was the reference to 'an exchange of ideas' on the Middle east and 'the necessity of finding a just solution to the conflicts that afflict the region, especially that between Israel and Palestine'. The Vatican and Saudi positions on this matter are quite close, actually.

But yesterday's meeting should be considered as something of a reciprocal opening which justifies itself.

Someone who expressed 'satisfaction' about the meting was Ban Ki-moon, the secretary-general of the United Nations, whose spokesman underscored its importance as 'a moment of encounter between Christianity and Islam.'

----------------------

In a sidebar, Corriere quotes the vice-president of the Islamic community in Italy, Imam Yahya Palavicini, explaining the symbolism of King Abdullah's gifts to the Pope.



The palm and the camel (in a gold-and-silver statue) stand for life, and the sword stands for moral strength, he said.

"The man in the desert survives thanks to the palm and the camel, while the jewelled sword is both s symbol of moral strength and beauty that cannot be used for violence."

Corriere della Sera, 7 novembre 2007


WHEN A SWORD IS MORE
THAN JUST A SWORD

A sword is obviously a weapon primarily. Or was.

And the Sword of Islam has been considered to be among other things, the sword of war and jihad, symbol of forcible conquest.

But over the centuries, the sword in most cultures has mostly had acquired positive, usully noble, associations and cymbolisms.

The sword is said to be the emblem of military honor and should incite the bearer to a just and generous pursuit of honor and virtue.

It is symbolic of liberty and strength.

The kingly pattern of swords was that which established the possessor as the chosen ruler on whom divine kingship was conferred. Kingship was a political institution found in nearly every ancient and medieval civilization, and the king was believed to be appointed by heaven.

The sword's symbolism in the royal regalia was the temporal representation of divine power in the sovereign. Swords of a royal pattern appear in literature and history from Europe, the Far East, and even Africa.

Like the kingly pattern, the heroic pattern of swords, found mainly in literature and mythology, established the possessor as one invested with divine authority.

In the heroic traditions the sword was preserved or bestowed by deity, often given to a hero for a specific deed. Consequently the hero who possessed the magical and personalized sword had the grace of the gods.

In a way similar to kings, epic heroes were given divine authority and power with their swords, and the fortunes of each hero depended upon his sword.

Swords gave heroes power because they represented blades used by the gods and manifested the "divine cutting power" of deity.

In Indian mythology, the creature Asi ("The Sword") was created to protect the gods, much like God the Father in Judaeo-Christian tradition protected the garden of Eden with a "flaming sword".

Yahweh himself is known to have a sword that he used in the cosmogonic battle before creation, and his word was frequently equated with a sword. In the Middle Ages, the sword was often used as a symbol of the word of God.

As the Messiah of Christianity, Jesus Christ was to come a second time wielding a sword in the last days of judgment.

Heroes with a sword in history and legend derived their symbol of divine power from such figures of deity, and this pattern can also be found throughout the world.

The sword (especially borne with flames) is also a symbol of purification.

When borne with a cross in the same field, the sword signifies the defense of the Christian faith.

Two swords crossed in saltire is an emblem of St. Paul.

In Buddhism, the sword is a symbol of wisdom because its sharp edge can cut through ignorance and destroy evil, both of which interfere with the attainment of enlightenment for Buddhists.

The Islamic tradition of the sword of Mohammed became important regalia for the caliphs, because whichever house possessed the sword held the Imamate.

The sword was believed to have been brought by the angel Gabriel from the heavens, and it personified the strength of Allah.

Pope and Abdullah focus
on religious freedom,
says Arab press




Beirut, Nov. 7 (AsiaNews) – Arab media gave wide coverage to yesterday’s ‘historic’ meeting between Benedict XVI and Saudi King Abdullah.

All media outlets stressed how both sides shared the same view about the role religion can play in achieving peace and justice, but not everyone reported that Jews are also included in the process.

Many, especially in Saudi Arabia, did refer to the Vatican’s request that Christians be granted religious freedom that a “just solution” be found to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Saudi Arabia’s official news agency SPA reported that the “two sides [. . .] stressed that violence and terrorism have nothing to do with a religion,” something that was not in yesterday’s Vatican news release.

The news agency noted that the Saudi monarch stressed the importance of religion for peace and justice but did not mention the Jews, as the Vatican communique did.

Another Saudi paper, Arab News, talked about the “dialogue between Muslims, Christians and Jews [. . .] to promote peace, justice and moral values” and mentioned the meeting’s “warmth.” It also noted its significance since the Saudi monarch met the Pope in his capacity as “Custodian of the two holy mosques.”

Both King Abdullah and Pope Benedict said that “violence and terrorism have no religion or nation,” and that all “countries and peoples should work together to eradicate terrorism.”

It added that yesterday’s meeting came just weeks after 138 Muslim clerics and intellectuals wrote a letter to Benedict and other Christian leaders, and quoted several expatriates living in the kingdom who welcomed the king’s meeting with the pope as a step towards better relations between Muslims and Christians.

The Arab Herald, which also emphasised the historic and warm nature of the meeting, gave wide coverage to the Vatican’s request for broader religious freedom, noting that in the past this demand was a sticking point between the two sides.

The online paper published a range of opinions from some of its readers. One reader noted that no state should impose its views on worshippers; another complained that Muslims are not fully free in Europe because of restrictions on Muslim women wearing the hijab, whereas Christian nuns can wear their own veil; and another instead pointed out that whilst Europe is dotted with mosques, no church exists in Saudi Arabia.

Arab papers outside of the kingdom have largely carried news stories from international news agencies. They, too, stressed the historic nature of the meeting.

Pan-Arab Asharq Al-Awsat noted that the “Vatican has said it wants to pursue a dialogue with moderate Muslims.”

The Kuwait Times called the event a “historic meeting” in which religious freedom, co-operation between Muslims, Christians and Jews and peace in the Middle East took centre stage, noting also that the “Vatican wants greater rights for the 1 million Catholics who live in Saudi Arabia, most of them migrant workers who are not allowed to practice their religion in public.”

Finally, al-Jazeera started off its report on the meeting by saying that “King Abdullah has become the first Saudi monarch to meet a Catholic pontiff,” adding that the two “discussed [. . .] the situation of Saudi Arabia's Christian minority, the need for greater inter-faith collaboration and prospects for peace in the Middle East.”

Further into the text the Qatar-based satellite TV broadcaster quoted yesterday’s Vatican press release that referred to “collaboration among Christians, Muslims and Jews,” asserting also that the “Vatican wants more rights” for Christians.

=====================================================================

AsiaNews had an interesting sidebar to the King's visit, from the point of view of a Christian who was jailed in Saudi Arabia for being Christian.


Doubts and hopes about
King Abdullah’s visit to the Pope
by Nirmala Carvalho


Mumbai, Nov. 7 (AsiaNews) – If yesterday’s meeting between King Abdullah and the Pope is not followed by a “concrete commitment” by Saudi Arabia to respect religious freedom then we will be forced to speak of it in terms of a “simple courtesy visit, a hypocritical move, devoid of meaning”.

This is how Brian O’Connor, a Christian of Indian descent who was detained in the Kingdom’s prisons in 2004 because of his faith, comments on the historic event which took place in the Vatican.

While describing it as a “positive step” towards possible improvements for the Christians in the area, he underlines how far Riyadh still is from respecting Human Rights. He answered these qeustions from AsiaNews.



What importance do you place on the meeting between Benedict XVI and the Saudi King?

It is a positive step in every possible way; these are great signs of prosperity for non Muslims in Saudi Arabia where there is no religious freedom. If however Riyadh does not concretely commit itself to guaranteeing religious freedom then it is a hypocritical step as that the King would like to demonstrate to the International community that Saudi Arabia is opening up to Religious Freedom, and is just a courtesy meeting and of not much meaning and significance.


How do Christians live in Saudi Arabia?

The Saudi kingdom falsely claims to believe in Human Rights, but in my own personal experience, Saudi Arabia's human rights record is appalling, and this is manifest in its persecution. Saudi Arabia currently has one of the worst records of all countries on human rights and there is no freedom of religion.

Christian worshippers risk arrest, lashing, and deportation for engaging in overt religious activity and there are no official churches in Saudi Arabia. The ever vigilant Muttawa or religious police are employed to enforce adherence to Islamic norms by monitoring public behaviour and even the personal lives of the people in the Saudi kingdom.

The world must know that in Saudi, Christians are targeted for abuse, discrimination, and persecution, without any authentic verification, they can be picked up and arrested for proselytism, even their evidence is fabricated. Christians are even targeted for owning, printing, or distributing of any non-Muslim religious material.


What prospective may open in the aftermath of King Abdullah’s visit to the Vatican?

I hope this meeting will usher in a climate of tolerance and reciprocity for non-Muslims in the kingdom. I hope that there will be freedom to open places of Christian worship and Churches in Saudi.

I know the holiest sites of Muslims are there in Saudi, but in Rome there are mosques. There must and should be a spirit of reciprocity if the King is sincere.

If any Muslims anywhere in the world are jailed for whatever reason, they can ask for a Koran. If a Christian is prosecuted and jailed in a Muslim country, and they request for a Bible, they are denied the Bible. If the King concedes full religious freedom then yesterday’s visit can be described as fruitful and the King’s intentions as sincere.


Originally from Karnataka in Southeast India, O'Connor, a Protestant Christian was arrested on March 25, 2004, by the Muttawa (religious police) after being lured outside his house in Riyadh.

The Muttawa took him to a mosque where he was severely beaten and tortured for over 24 hours. The Muttawa ordered him to sign a paper admitting to selling alcohol, and try to convert him to Islam. However he consistently refused.

He was formally charged in September with possession and sale of alcohol, possession of pornographic videos, possession of Bibles and preaching Christianity. On Oct. 20, 2004, he was convicted of selling alcohol, and sentenced to 10 months in prison plus 300 lashes.

O’Connor maintained his innocence and admitted only to organising private prayer meetings as allowed under State law. In November he was released and expelled from the country thanks to a massive campaign of international pressure promoted by AsiaNews.

Recalling his 7 months in prison O’Connor expresses no regrets: “At least my seven months and seven days in the Saudi prison served to denounce the violations of Rreligious freedom violations in that place”.

French bishops plan for 2008 papal visit

Lourdes, Nov. 7, 2007 (CWNews.com) - At their annual meeting this week, the French bishops discussed plans for a papal visit to the Lourdes, according to Poland's Catholic Information Agency.

Pope Benedict has been invited by the French episcopal conference to attend the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the Marian apparitions at Lourdes, to be held in 2008. A papal trip would also likely include a visit to the famed monastery at St. Michel.

While the Lourdes celebrations are scheduled for December 8, 2008, a visit to St. Michel would be more likely in September, allowing for a papal Mass on the beach near the monastery.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to visit the Pope before the end of the year; he will probably issue an invitation on behalf of the government for the papal visit.

---

The Holy Father met this morning with
- H.E. Armando Emílio Guebuza, President of the Republic of Mozambique, and delegation
- Mons. Vernon James Weisgerber, Archbishop of Winnipeg and President of the Canadian bishops conference, with
Mons. Pierre Morissette, Bishop of Baie-Comeau, Vice President, and
Mons. Mario Paquette, Segcretary-General.
- Bishops of Portugal, first group, on ad-limina visit
- H.E. Mons. Vito Rallo, Apostolic Nunzio to Burkina Faso and Niger
In the afternoon:
- Bishops of Portugal, second group, on ad-limina visit.

The Vatican released the Italian texts of
- The Holy Father's letter to all bishops and faithful on the 1600th anniversary of the death of St. John Chrysostom.
- The Holy Father's message to Mons. Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture,
on the 12th session of the Pontifical Academies today.

---

MEETING WITH
PRESIDENT OF MOZAMBIQUE



VATICAN CITY, NOV 8, 2007 (VIS) - At midday today, the Holy See Press Office released the following communique:

"The Holy Father Benedict XVI today received in audience Armando Guebuza, president of the Republic of Mozambique. The president subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"During the cordial discussions, the good relations existing between the Holy See and Mozambique were noted with pleasure, as was the convergence of ideas and intentions on the contribution the Church can make to the good of the entire nation, expressing a hope for ever more solid collaboration in the field of healthcare, and education of the young generations who are the hope of the nation. In particular, the Catholic Church is committed to strengthening and developing her presence in the university sector.

"Mention was also made of the Rome Peace Agreement, the 15th anniversary of which was celebrated on October 4, concurring on the need to achieve full national reconciliation. Finally the resumption of talks was proposed, with a view to an Agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of Mozambique."




PONTIFICAL ACADEMIES:
A CULTURE WORTHY OF HUMAN LIFE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 8, 2007 (VIS) - This morning, the pontifical academies held their twelfth public session under the presidency of Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, president of their coordinating council.

For the occasion, Benedict XVI sent a Message to Archbishop Ravasi, who is also president of the Pontifical Council for Culture.

"The celebration of this public session," writes the Pontiff in his Message, "annually renews an opportunity for meeting and collaboration between the pontifical academies ... in order to harmonize their various initiatives, all of which have a precise objective: promoting, both in the Church and the world, a culture worthy of human life, fecundated by faith, capable of proposing the beauty of Christian life and of providing an adequate response to the ever more numerous challenges of today's cultural and religious context."

The Pope dwells on the theme chosen for the session - "Witnesses of His love (Sacramentum caritatis, 85). The love of God as shown by martyrs and by the works of the Church" - indicating how it expresses "the fundamental link between the celebration of the divine Mysteries and the witness of life, between the experience of encountering the Mystery of God ... and the dynamism of a renewed commitment that causes us to be 'witnesses of His love'."

The Holy Father highlights how "it is more necessary than ever to re-present the example of Christian martyrs, both those of antiquity and those of our own time, whose lives and witness, even to the spilling of their blood, are the supreme expression of love of God."

The Pope concludes by mentioning "the works of charity that have flowered down the centuries through the efforts of generous faithful" who "have striven to create and promote charitable initiatives and institutions to meet the needs of the poorest, thus giving concrete expression to the close and indissoluble link between love of God and love of others."


POPE'S LETTER ON THE 16TH CENTENARY
OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM'S DEATH

VATICAN CITY, NOV 8, 2007 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter written by the Holy Father for the occasion of the 16th centenary of the death of St. John Chrysostom, in which he underlines the saint's "shining figure," proposing it "for the joint edification" of the universal Church.

The Letter was read this morning at the opening of an international congress, "St. John Chrysostom 1600 years after his Death," being held at Rome's "Augustinianum" patristic institute from November 8 to 10.

"The life and doctrinal teaching of this saintly bishop and Doctor ring out in every century," the Pope writes, "and even today they still induce universal admiration. The Roman Pontiffs have always recognized in him a living source of wisdom for the Church and their interest in his magisterium became more intense over the course of last century."

Referring to the life and ministry of the saint, Benedict XVI recalls how he was born in Antioch in Syria in the mid fourth century. "During his 12 years of priestly ministry in the Antiochean Church, John distinguished himself for his capacity to interpret Scripture in a manner the faithful could understand." He also sought "to strengthen the unity of the Church, ... at a historical moment in which it was threatened both internally and externally. He rightly felt that unity among Christians depends above all on a correct understanding of the central mystery of the Church's faith: that of the Blessed Trinity and the Incarnation of the Divine Word."

"Having served the Church in Antioch as a priest and preacher for 12 years, John was consecrated bishop of Constantinople in 398, remaining there for five and a half years. In that role, he concerned himself with the reform of the clergy, encouraging priests by word and example to live in conformity with the Gospel."

St. John Chrysostom "tirelessly denounced the contrast that existed in the city between the extravagant wastefulness of the rich and the indigence of the poor." At the same time, he encouraged the wealthy "to welcome homeless people into their own houses." He also "stood our for his missionary zeal" and built hospitals for the sick.

Talking of the bishop of Constantinople's ministry, Benedict XVI recalls how "since the fifth century John Chrysostom has been venerated by the entire Church, Eastern and Western, for his courageous witness in defense of ecclesial faith and for his generous dedication to pastoral ministry."

"Special mention must also be made of the extraordinary efforts undertaken by St. John Chrysostom to promote reconciliation and full communion between Christians of East and West. In particular, his contribution proved decisive in putting an end to the schism separating the See of Antioch from the See of Rome and from other Western Churches."

The Pope goes on to highlight how "both in Antioch and Constantinople John spoke passionately of the unity of the Church throughout the world. ... For John, the unity of the Church is rooted in Christ, the Divine Word Who with His Incarnation united Himself to the Church as a head is united to its body."

"For John Chrysostom the ecclesial unity achieved in Christ finds unique expression in the Eucharist." His "profound veneration" for this Sacrament was "particularly nourished in the celebration of the divine liturgy. In fact, one of the richest expressions of Eastern liturgy bears his name: 'The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom'."

The Holy Father indicates how, "with great profundity, John Chrysostom develops his ideas on the effects of sacramental communion in believers. ... He tirelessly repeats that preparation for Holy Communion must include penitence for sins and gratitude for the sacrifice Christ made for our salvation. Thus, he exhorts the faithful to participate fully and devotedly in the rites of divine liturgy and to receive Holy Communion in the same way."

John Chrysostom "also draws the moral consequences" from his contemplation of the Eucharistic Mystery, reminding people "that communion with the Body and Blood of Christ obliges them to offer material assistance to the poor and hungry who live among them."

Benedict XVI expresses the hope that this centenary may be a good occasion to increase studies on the saint, "recovering his teachings and encouraging his devotion."

"May the Fathers of the Church," the Pope concludes, "become a stable point of reference for all Church theologians" and may theologians themselves discover "a renewed commitment to recover the heritage of wisdom of the holy Fathers. The result can only be a vital enrichment of their ideas, even on the problems of our own times."


CANADIAN BISHOPS MEET WITH
POPE AND CURIAL OFFICIALS
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY, Nov. 8 (CNS) -- The president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said coming to the Vatican to visit Pope Benedict XVI and curial officials "is always something that energizes us."

Archbishop James Weisgerber of Winnipeg, Manitoba, conference president, led a small delegation to the Vatican Nov. 6-12 for regularly scheduled annual meetings with Vatican officials.

The vice president of the bishops' conference, Archbishop Pierre Morissette of Baie-Comeau, Quebec, and secretary-general, Msgr. Mario Paquette, accompanied Archbishop Weisgerber.

Archbishop Weisgerber told Catholic News Service that the delegation's 20-minute private meeting Nov. 8 with Pope Benedict "went very well."

"He is a marvelous listener and very hospitable," he said.

He said they spoke with the pope about the problem of secularization and the situation of the aboriginal peoples in Canada.

The archbishop called the pope's ability to make time for and dedicate his attention to the many people who come to see him "a great gift."

The Canadians' appointment followed the pope's 35-minute meeting with the president of Mozambique "and it was amazing how he can be extremely present and make you feel you're the only one in the world," Archbishop Weisgerber said.

The archbishop told the pope they hoped he would take part in the 2008 International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec in June.

He said when they asked if the pope was planning to attend "he just smiled very warmly, very nicely and said his schedule for 2008" was not yet finalized.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, told CNS Nov. 7 he has not seen any plans for a Quebec trip.

Archbishop Weisgerber said he did not mention the online petition aimed at convincing the pope to journey to Quebec since he had only just recently learned about it.

=====================================================================

Here's an item about that online petition:

Petition pleads for Pope
to come to Quebec City
By DEBORAH GYAPONG
Canadian Catholic News
Quebec City



A former Quebec justice minister has launched a petition aimed at bringing Pope Benedict to Quebec City for the 2008 International Eucharistic Congress in June.

"With the petition maybe we can help him decide to come to Quebec City," said Marc Bellemare in a phone interview.

The Vatican, however, says there are no plans for the pope to visit Quebec.

Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Quebec has said he will meet with the pope later this month to get a final answer on his attendance. The Congress also coincides with the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec.

"It is not only the birth of the city but the birth of Catholicism in North America," said Bellemare. "There will be 15,000 people to celebrate. Without the pope it's not the same."

His website (www.pape2008.com) enables people to sign an electronic version. In less than a week, more than 4,000 had done so.

"He must come!" said Bellemare. "For all the Catholics of the world it is important for him to come here. We need the pope."

The Vatican press office, however, says there are no plans for a papal visit to Quebec.

The press office director Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi told the Catholic News Service Nov. 7 that the pope will visit the United Nations, World Youth Day in Australia and Lourdes, France. "I have not seen any plans for a visit to Quebec."

The Unlikely Ambassador to Islam

By Father Jonathan Morris
Fox News
Thursday , November 08, 2007



It sounds like the beginning of a good mystery novel — “a German Pope and a Saudi King were meeting privately behind the Vatican walls” — but, in fact, that is precisely what happened this week.

For the first time ever, a reigning monarch of Saudi Arabia came to the Vatican to meet with the Pope.

Not just any Pope; it’s the Pope of the Regensburg address — that infamous speech against religiously-motivated violence that provoked parts of the Muslim world into proving his point. And this is no ordinary monarch; he’s the leader of a Muslim country that boasts, year after year, one of the worst records of religious liberty in the world.

Strange bedfellows? Not so.

The well-kept secret of this papacy is that it is on track to leave a legacy of effective diplomacy and inter-religious dialogue with the very group it so upset just one year ago — Muslims.

Ever since the violent protests have subsided in the aftermath of Regensburg, Muslim leaders have been flocking to the side of Pope Benedict, and he to theirs. In September of 2006, Pope Benedict opened the doors of his summer residence (off grounds even to most Catholic prelates) for a personal meeting with the twenty ambassadors of Muslim countries stationed in Rome. In November of the same year, just two months after Regensburg, Pope Benedict managed a successful trip to Turkey. Then, in September of 2007, on the anniversary of the Regensburg address, 138 Muslim clerics, scholars, and politicians from Sunni, Shia, and Kurdish groups signed a letter to the Pope inviting the Christian and Muslim worlds to unite around love. Now we witness the first visit of the King of Saudi Arabia.

All in a year’s time! What’s going on? Is the Pope caving in on his core convictions, as expressed in the Regensburg address, for the sake of public relations? A look behind the scenes tells us that it is just the opposite.

At the conclusion of Tuesday’s meeting with King Abdulla, the Vatican briefed the press about the secret content of their discussion. The press office used typical diplomatic verbiage: “The presence and hard work of Christians in Saudi Arabia was discussed.” A straight-talk translation of that would go something like this: “Pope Benedict XVI expressed indignation to King Abdullah that the nearly one million Christians in Saudi Arabia are prohibited from any form of public worship. He wondered why there is a grand Mosque in Rome and no cathedral in Riyadh; no crosses, no Bibles, and no churches anywhere in the Kingdom.”

This reminds me of the fact that Pope Benedict never apologized for his Regensburg speech; he expressed regret that some people were offended by it.

So while Pope Benedict isn’t mincing words, his interlocutors keep coming back for more of the same. Either they are gluttons for punishment or the Pope is making headway in promoting human reason and the dignity of the human person as the meeting point between cultures and religions.

The combination of a clear presentation of differences and lots of cordial human contact, seems to be a uniquely "Benediction" approach to diplomacy and inter-religious dialogue.

From this vantage point where I write — a stone’s throw from the Vatican — it seems his approach is working, at least better than anywhere else.

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The Holy Father met today with
- The officers of the Conference of Latin American and Caribbean bishops (CELAM)
- Bishops of Portugal, Group 3, on ad-limina visit
- Members of the Federazione Universitaria Cattolica Italiana (FUCI). Address in Italian.
In the afternoon:
- Bishops of Portugal, Group 4, on ad-limina Visit

It was announced the Pope met yesterday afternoon with
- Giovanni Maria Vian and Carlo Di Cicco, editor and deputy editor of L'Osservatore Romano.

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THE POPE MOURNS
THE DEATH OF CARDINAL YAMAO

The Holy Father sent telegrams of condolence on the death of Japanese Cardinal Stephen Hamao, emeritus President of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, who died n Tokyo yesterday. The elegrams were sent to the Bishop of Yokohama and the cardinal's sister.

THE MOST REVEREND RAFAEL MASAHIRO UMEMURA
BISHOP OF YOKOHAMA

HAVING LEARNED WITH SADNESS OF THE DEATH OF CARDINAL STEPHEN FUMIO HAMAO, I EXTEND MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO YOU AND THE FAITHFUL OF THE DIOCESE OF YOKOHAMA WHERE HE MINISTERED AS BISHOP FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES.

WITH GRATITUDE FOR THE LATE CARDINAL'S DEVOTED WITNESS TO THE GOSPEL, HIS LIVELY CONCERN FOR THE POOR AND HIS GENEROUS SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH AS PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE PASTORAL CARE OF MIGRANTS AND ITINERANTS, I WILLINGLY COMMEND THE SOUL OF THIS PROUD SON OF THE JAPANESE PEOPLE TO THE LOVING MERCY OF GOD OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.

TO ALL WHO MOURN HIM IN THE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION I CORDIALLY IMPART MY APOSTOLIC BLESSING AS A PLEDGE OF CONSOLATION AND STRENGTH IN JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR.

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI


MRS. TERESA TERUKO UEMATSU

SADDENED AT THE NEWS OF YOUR DEAR BROTHER’S DEATH, I EXPRESS MY DEEP SYMPATHY TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR HIS ETERNAL REST AND I ASK OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO GRANT YOU THE CONSOLATION AND PEACE BORN OF OUR FIRM HOPE IN HIS PROMISES. WITH MY APOSTOLIC BLESSING.

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI


Tokyo, Nov. 9, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Cardinal Stephen Fumio Hamao, the former president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants, died in Tokyo on November 8 at the age of 77.

Cardinal Hamao, who had resigned his Vatican post in March 2006, was a cancer victim. Appointed an auxiliary bishop of Tokyo in 1970, he had been named Bishop of Yokohama in 1979. After serving as president of the Japanese bishops' conference he was called to Rome in 1998 to become president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope John Paul II (bio - news) in 2003.

In a message of condolence, Pope Benedict XVI praised the Japanese prelate for his "devoted witness to the Gospel, his lively concern for the poor, and his generous service to the universal Church."

Cardinal Hamao had been one of two cardinals from Japan; he is survived by Cardinal Peter Shirayanagi, the former Archbishop of Tokyo, who will be 80 on November 26.

Shortly after resigning his Vatican post, Cardinal Hamao had said that the Vatican has "great difficulties understanding" the Christians of Asia, and should make a greater effort to adapt Church teachings to the Asian cultural context.

With the death of Cardinal Hamao, there are now 178 living cardinals, of whom 103 are under the age of 80 and thus eligible to participate in a papal election. At a consistory scheduled for November 23, Pope Benedict will elevate 23 new cardinals, of whom 18 will be cardinal-electors


POPE ADDRESSES ITALIAN UNIVERSITARIANS:
UNITE MATURITY IN FAITH WITH STUDY



VATICAN CITY, NOV 9, 2007 (VIS) - At midday today in the Vatican's Clementine Hall, Benedict XVI received a delegation from the Italian Catholic University Federation (FUCI) for the occasion of the organization's 110 anniversary.

FUCI, said the Pope, "has contributed to the formation of entire generations of exemplary Christians who have proved capable of translating the Gospel into life and with life, dedicating themselves in the cultural, civil, social and ecclesial fields."

In this context he recalled Blesseds Piergiorgio Frassati and Alberto Marvelli, the Italian politicians Aldo Moro and Vittorio Bachelet, "both barbarously murdered," and Paul VI "who was the principal ecclesiastical assistant to FUCI during the difficult years of fascism."

"In the mid 1990s," the Holy Father went on, "the academic system in Italy underwent a radical reformation, and today has an entirely different aspect, full of promise for the future but also having elements that give rise to legitimate concern."

"It is precisely in this field that FUCI can, even today, fully express its original and ever-valid charism: a convinced witness to the 'possible friendship' between knowledge and faith. This involves incessant efforts to unite maturity in faith with growth through study and the acquisition of academic knowledge."

"Study," said Benedict XVI, "also represents a providential opportunity to progress along the road of faith, because well-cultivated intelligence opens man's heart to listening to the voice of God, highlighting the importance of discernment and humility."

"Today as in the past, people who wish to be Christ's disciples are called to go against the tide" and not to let themselves be influenced by messages that propagate "arrogance and the achievement of success at all costs.

"In modern society," the Holy Father added, "there exists a race, sometimes a desperate race, towards appearance and possession at all costs, at the expense, unfortunately, of being. The Church, teacher of humanity, never tires of exhorting people, especially the young of whom you are a part, to remain watchful and not to fear choosing 'alternative' paths which only Christ can indicate."

"Jesus calls all His friends to live in sobriety and solidarity, to create sincere and disinterested emotional relationships with others. From you, dear young students, He asks for honest commitment to study, cultivating a mature sense of responsibility and a shared interest in the common good. May your years at university be, then, training for a convinced and courageous evangelical witness. And to realize your mission, seek to cultivate an intimate friendship with the divine Master, enrolling yourselves in the school of Mary, Seat of Learning."

A translation from the Italian service of Vatican Radio:

The meeting between Benedict XVI and King Abdullah II of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday had great resonance in the Muslim world, according to Jesuit Fr. Samir Khlail Samir, professor of Islamology and history of Arab culture at Saint Joseph's University in Beirut, Lebanon. Alessandro Gisotti interviewed him:


What has been the reaction in the Arab world?

First, it must be pointed out that all the major newspapers were interested and commented at length on the meeting. The reactions have all been positive, underscoring the cordial climate and the desire for peace on both sides.

All appeared to pick up three major points: First, the Muslim-Christian dialog, with some even referring to dialog among Muslims, Christians and Jews [as the Vatican communique mentioned].

Then they underscored peace, but the best thing is that all the Arab media picked up what the communique said about a common commitment to promote not just peace but justice and moral values as well.

I think this is very important, because John Paul II always said there is no peace without justice. This is also the common feeling in the Arab and Muslim world, especially in the case of Palestine.

As for the phrase about moral values, it has a different meaning for the Muslims, because the Muslim world has often criticized the West for an absence of moral values. Everything that they see in Western society, even among Christians, seems to them to show a lack moral or ethical values. And I think that on this point, Christians - Catholics in particular - will find many areas of agreement.


Could this meeting lead to any positive developments for the Christians living in Saudi Arabia?

I think it's a small first step to face the problem which has been completely blocked up to now. The present situation is increasingly felt to be anomalous even in the Muslim world.

The pretext claimed by Saudi Arabia for the past two decades is that all Arabia is a mosque, and therefore it is not possible to introduce any other religion inside it, just as - they claim - one cannot construct a mosque inside the Vatican. But this is just a pretext, of course.

The idea of religious freedom is progressing in the Islamic world even if we cannot yet understand its deeper meaning.

I think the Pope did well to refer to the problem without openly asking for more. Indeed, one cannot indefinitely say, "Let's be patient, things will take time", but neither can one ask for everything all at once.

Last Wednesday, I posted this item on THE POPE'S DAY as one of three more-than-casual post-GA encounters with the Pope:

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ECUMENICAL ENCOUNTER

The Italian service of Vatican Radio adds this information:



It was a significant moment at the end of the General Audience, when Benedict XVI greeted Archbishop Innokentiy of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow.

The Archbishop presented him with a booklet that had Patriarch Alexei II on the cover.

---

It turns out that wasn't just any 'booklet' that Patriarch Innokentiy gave the Pope. Here 's a story from the Italian service of ZENIT, translated here:


VATICAN CITY, Nov. 8 (ZENIT.org).- Benedict XVI received Wednesday from Bishop Innokentiy of the Russian Orthodox Church a French translation of a book on the social doctrine of the Russian Church, entitled Fondaments de la doctrine sociale.

It is the first printed compendium since the Russian Orthodox formulated and adopted the document in 2000.

In the book, the Russian Church, through its bishops, takes a stand on numerous political, economic and social questions: on church and State relations, the nation, work, property, international relations, family ethics, human rights, health, bioethics, culture, communications media, the relation between science and faith, ecology, globalization, etc.

The Pope was also given the most recent issue of the magazine (French edition) Messager de l’Eglise orthodoxe russe, dedicated to the recent visit to France of Alexei II, Patriarch of Moscow and all the Russias.

Vatican Radio called the brief encounter between the Pope and Bishop Innokentiy as a 'significant ecumenical moment'.

The Russian Church's European website www.egliserusse.eu reported that the Pope "has asked Mons. Innokentiy to convey his greetings to to Patriarch Alexei, and expressed the hope that the social doctrine of the Russian church may contribute to a common proclamation of faith by Catholics and Orthodox Christians and their common testimony to the values proclaimed in the Gospel."

The Russian Church will formally presented the book in Paris on November 12 during a colloquium on the theme "Towards a common social doctrine of Christians" at the Sevres Center.

DOES RUSSIA SHARE THE PAN-ORTHODOX VIEW?

Thanks to Lella, who carries this item on her blog from this weekend's issue of Panorama magazine, in which Ignacio Ingrao reports something already 'revealed' in previous statements made by both sides about what was agreed on at the Ravenna ecumenical sessions last month. See previous posts in NEWS ABOUT THE CHURCH. Here is a translation of the Panorama item:





And so, Benedict XVI opens up
to the Orthodox Churches
By IGNAZIO INGRAO

A new important step towards the reunification of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches: On November 15, a document on "collegiality and authority in the Church" will be made public.

It is the result of the meetings held in Ravenna last month by the mixed international commission for dialog between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

A preliminary look at the document shows that it faces one of the most controversial issues in the ecumenical dialog: the role and authority of the Pope in a unified Church.

The proposal is to adopt the organizational model of the Church in the first millennium [before the Great Schism of 1054 that led to the formation of the Orthodox Churches], in which there were five major Patriarchates (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem), with the Bishop of Rome recognized as primus inter pares (first among equals).

However, it is not clear what the Russian Orthodox Church will have to say about this. Its delegation walked out of the Ravenna meetings to protest the inclusion of the Estonian Orthodox Church at the authorization of the patriarch of Constantinople. [Patriarch Alexei II questions the standing of the Patriarch of Constantinople who is recognized by all the other Orthodox Churches as their 'first among equals'. Alexei has maintained that Moscow, not Constantinople, deserves to be the second Rome - notwithstanding the fact that the Russian Orthodox Church was an outgrowth of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, the original Orthodox Church.]

Benedict XVI is expected to discuss this issue at the plenary sessions of the College of Cardinals on November 23, the day before the general consistory.

The next meeting of the mixed international theological commission will be in 2009.

Panorama n.46/2007

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Just to clarify the origins of the Russian Orthodox Church:

In 988, Prince Vladimir I of Kiev officially adopted Byzantine Rite Christianity — the religion of the Eastern Roman Empire — as the state religion of Kievan Rus. This date is often considered the official birthday of the Russian Orthodox Church. [But there was no Orthodox Church yet at the time, since the Schism didn't come till 1054, although there were already two Catholic Rites - the Western or Latin, and the Eastern or Byzantine.]

Thus, in 1988, the Church celebrated its millennial anniversary [under false pretenses, really, because it started out in 988 as a Catholic Church of the Eastern rite[]. It therefore traces its apostolic succession through the Patriarch of Constantinople. [So how can Alexei deny the 'seniority' of Constantinople? It is not even one of the major Patriarchates of the first millennium, for the simple reason that Moscow did not become the seat of the Russian patriarchate till the 14th century!]

The Kievan church was originally a Metropolitan Diocese of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Byzantine patriarch appointed the metropolitan who governed the Church of Rus. The Metropolitan's residence was originally located in Kiev.

As Kiev was losing its political, cultural, and economical significance due to the Mongol invasion, Metropolitan Maximus moved to Vladimir [a beautiful and well-preserved medieval walled city not far from Moscow, one of the must-see places to visit in Russia] in 1299. His successors, Metropolitan Peter and Theognostus, moved the residence to Moscow by 1326.

Pope petitioned to beatify Pius XII
by William Donohue
Spero News
Thursday, November 08, 2007

William Donohue is the president of the Catholic League of America.

Two national Catholic organizations, the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights and the Society of Catholic Social Scientists, are working jointly to petition Pope Benedict XVI to expedite the cause for the beatification of Pope Pius XII.

It is our strongly held conviction that Pope Pius XII has been unfairly portrayed as someone who stood silent during the Holocaust. Indeed, we know of no world leader who did more to resist the Nazis and rescue Jews than this great man. To depict him otherwise is to slander him, and this is not something Catholics will ever accept.

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Petition to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
for the Beatification of Pope Pius XII

With profound respect and sincere devotion, We, the undersigned, humbly request that the cause for the beatification of Pope Pius XII proceed without delay.

Pius XII's virtuous life speaks for itself and is supported by an abundance of incontestable documentary evidence. The truth regarding his service to the Church and the World, as a diplomat and during his pontificate, prior to and through the World War II period, is also historically established.

He has been the victim of an unjust smear campaign for fifty years. Now, however, overwhelming evidence has been amassed that proves beyond doubt that he labored without pause for peace, that he sought to assist in every way possible the victims of war, especially Jews, hundreds of thousands of whom were spared through his efforts, and that he constantly warned the world of the horrors of Nazism and Communism.

We urge that you honor this holy and brave Pontiff at the soonest possible date.

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To sign this petition, click here
www.catholicleague.org/petition.php

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The Holy Father met today with
- Bishops of Portugal on ad-limina visit, Group 5 and Group 6, separately. Address in Portuguese
and in a special audience at St. Peter's Square
- Confederation of the diocesan confraternities of Italy. Address in Italian

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SPECIAL AUDIENCE FOR
ITALIAN DIOCESAN BROTHERHOODS

A full translation of the Holy Father's addrEss on this occasion has been posted in HOMILIES, DISCOURSES, MESSAGES.

By GIANNI BAGET BOZZO



In today's issue of La Stampa, we get a fresh insight and analysis of Benedict XVI's actions once again from this veteran political commentator-theologian.

Perhaps a sign to understand the direction that Pope Benedict XVI is giving to his Pontificate is the new format of the Osservatore Romano under Giovanni Maria Gian.

It used to be an ordinary Italian newspaper which documented the activities of the Holy See. It is now a Papal newspaper, which focuses on properly Papal matters, of the Pope's magisterium and governance of the Church, highlighting questions of doctrinal and spiritual character for the universal Church.

At the same time, reporting and analysis of international affairs has taken the place of merely focusing on Italian politics and society.

There is another side of Benedict XVI's activity which perhaps explains why he named a trusted co-worker like Cardinal Bertone to a role normally carried out by Vatican diplomats, that of secretary of State.

The Pope wishes to have something to say personally about the problems of the world, therefore those that have to do with nation states, and among his top priorities is to assure freedom of religion, especially for Christians. This explains two fundamental acts of his Pontificate so far.

The first is his decision to address the freedom of the Church in China, making clear that its presence cannot be left alone to an underground Church, no matter how faithful it is, but that the Church should take its place in the context of Chinese institutions and society.

It means that the Church accepts the Confucian principle of 'great harmony' often enunciated as the basis (and goal) of the Chinese Communist government, at this paradoxical point when - while the regime remains Communist - the country itself is becoming a great capitalist power, and only this 'great harmony' can govern such a China.

That is why the Pope accepts that Catholic bishops should have the consensus of the Chinese government. This might be taken as an act of acculturation to China, but the purpose is to obtain a degree of freedom, limited as it may be, for Chinese Catholics.

Today, there are more Chinese Catholics than the number of registered members in the Chinese Communist Party. Still, the papal line is that the Church in China should grow in the Confucian 'great harmony' that is guaranteed by the Communist regime.

The Pope is showing a similar orientation with respect to the Muslim world.

The Regensburg lecture had been considered by most commentators an 'error' but it has proven to be a fresh beginning.

It was not the Western governments but the Pope who has made the world aware that religious freedom for Christians impacts on Muslim identity in the world.

And that is why the 'custodian of the holy mosques of Mecca and Medina' came to Rome and offered the Pope a sword, a gesture that could be seen to symbolize an end to reciprocal hostility.

After Regensburg, the religious freedom of Christians in Muslim lands has become a Muslim problem as never before.

It is significant that the joint communique after the visit of the Saudi Arabian king referred to the 'industrious presence of Christians in Saudi Arabia.'

The reference legitimizes a reality that is otherwise denied as religious fact under present Saudi law.

Equally significant is the letter addressed by an international group of Muslim religious authorities to the Pope and other Christian leaders.

It is a recognition that relationship with Christianity is something that is fundamental for Muslims, in a way different from Islam's relationship with the Western world.

They are addressing the Christian churches as a reality on a par with Islam, in a way that all of Western society is not.

Thus, in the two aspects of Benedict XVI's actions - his governance of the Church and his relationship with the rest of the world - we see the novelty that he has brought to the Roman Papacy.

La Stampa, 10 novembre 2007

Vatican Radio has activated a service called VideoNews on Demand which promptly provides video clips of the Pope's activities, as well as a continuing archive of past clips.

Click on the VIDEONEWS button on the right side of the page
www.radiovaticana.org/it1/video_menu.asp

The list of the available clips are on the right side, starting with the latest one, and goes all the way back to Sept. 30, the Pope's last Angelus in Castel Gandolfo.

Thanks, Teresa for the website link. I tried it and it's great ... my Italian isn't up to that speed, unfortunately but I get the gist of it. Something to check out every day ...

Aloha ...

A full translation of the Pope's words today has been posted in AUDIENCE AND ANGELUS TEXTS.

The Holy Father delivered a homily on St. Martin of Tours, expressed the hope that Lebanon may get a new President acceptable to all Lebanese, asked Italians to pray for farmers particularly on Italy's Thanksgiving Day today, and greeted Argentines for the beatification in Argentina of their first native-born compatriot to be beatified.








The following report is adapted from AsiaNews:

ST. MARTIN AS A MODEL
FOR GLOBAL SOLIDARITY

An appeal to Christians and to the world so that there is food, health care work, and culture for all, as well as an appeal for Lebanon where presidential elections have been postponed three times, were the two main themes of Benedict XVI’s special messages at Angelus today, attended by thousands of pilgrims who gathered in St. Peter's Square under a cold early-winter sky.

In his homily earlier, the Pope recalled that that the Church celebrates today the feast of St Martin of Tours.

After a brief outline of the saint's life, Benedict recalled St. Martin's famous gesture of sharing his cloak with a poor beggar. “That night," he said, "Christ appeared to him in a dream, smiling and wearing that same cloak”.

St Martin’s gesture, he pointed out, followed the logic of Christ's miracle of the loaves.

“St Martin helps us to understand that only through a common commitment to sharing, can we answer to the great challenger of our time: that is to build a world of justice and peace, where every human being can live in dignity.

"This can only happen if a global model of authentic solidarity prevails, capable of insuring that all of the worlds’ people have food, water, healthcare, but also work and recourse to energy as well as culture and scientific and technological knowledge”.

After the Angelus prayer, Benedict XVI recalled the current situation in Lebanon where elections for president are due to be held. The vote was postponed for the third time last night to November 21, three days before current President Emile Lahoud’s mandate expires.

Tensions between pro-Syrian parties and the government and the divisions among Christian deputies (the president must be a Maronite Christian), have failed to bring consensus on a candidate and risk plummeting into all out civil war, fomented by Syria and pro-Iranian Palestinians.


POPE'S CONCERN
ABOUT LEBANON ELECTIONS

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - Pope Benedict XVI Sunday expressed his concern about Lebanon's presidential election planned for November 21, underscoring that it was "crucial" for the future of the violence-torn nation.

"The national assembly will be soon called upon to elect a new head of state," the pontiff said, adding that the ballot was "crucial for the survival of Lebanon and its institutions."

"I add my concerns to those expressed recently by the Christian Maronite patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir and his wish that all Lebanese can recognise the new president," he said, after the noonday Angelus prayers today.

The ballot has been deferred three times since September 25 amid deadlock on a consensus candidate between parliament's pro-Western majority bloc and the opposition, which includes factions backed by Syria and Iran.


THE POPE PAYS TRIBUTE
TO BLESSED CEFERINO OF ARGENTINA

This is whagt the Pope said today after the Angelus prayers:

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I address a special greeting to the Argentine community in Rome. Dear friends, many of you have come on the occasion of the beatification of Ceferino Namuncura, which takes place today in Chimpay, Argentina, where the celebration will be presided by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who has gone there in my representation.

May the Blessed Ceferino intercede for you and your families.

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In Chimpay, Argentina, a statue of Blessed Ceferino at his shrine, and nuns line up in the pre-dawn hours for the beatification rites today.

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Op-Ed Columnist
The New York Times
Published: November 11, 2007

Last Tuesday, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican — the first audience ever by the head of the Catholic Church with a Saudi monarch. The Saudi king gave the pope two gifts: a golden sword studded with jewels, and a gold and silver statue depicting a palm tree and a man riding a camel.


Thomas L. Friedman

The BBC reported that the pope "admired the statue but merely touched the sword." I think it is a great thing these two men met, and that King Abdullah came bearing gifts. But what would have really caught my attention — and the world's — would have been if King Abdullah had presented the pope with something truly daring: a visa.

You see, the king of Saudi Arabia, also known as the Keeper of the Two Holy Mosques of Mecca and Medina, can visit the pope in the Vatican. But the pope can't visit the king of Saudi Arabia in the Vatican of Islam — Mecca. Non-Muslims are not allowed there. Moreover, it is illegal to build a church, a synagogue or a Hindu or Buddhist temple in Saudi Arabia, or to practice any of these religions publicly.

As BBCnews.com noted, "some Christian worship services are held secretly, but the government has been known to crack down on them, or deport Filipino workers if they hold even private services. ... The Saudi authorities cite a tradition of the Prophet Muhammad that only Islam can be practiced in the Arabian Peninsula."

I raise this point because the issue of diversity — how and under what conditions should "the other" be tolerated — is roiling the Muslim world today, from Lebanon to Iraq to Pakistan. More churches and mosques have been blown up in the past few years than any time I can remember.

A senior French official suggested to me that maybe we in the West, rather than trying to promote democracy in the Middle East — a notion tainted by its association with the very Western powers that once colonized the region — should be focusing on promoting diversity, which has historical roots in the area.

It's a valid point. The very essence of democracy is peaceful rotations of power, no matter whose party or tribe is in or out. But that ethic does not apply in most of the Arab-Muslim world today, where the political ethos remains "Rule or Die." Either my group is in power or I'm dead, in prison, in exile or lying very low. But democracy is not about majority rule; it is about minority rights. If there is no culture of not simply tolerating minorities, but actually treating them with equal rights, real democracy can’t take root.

But respect for diversity is something that has to emerge from within a culture. We can hold a free and fair election in Iraq, but we can't inject a culture of diversity. America and Europe had to go through the most awful civil wars to give birth to their cultures of diversity. The Arab-Muslim world will have to go through the same internal war of ideas.

I just returned from India, which just celebrated 60 years of democracy. Pakistan, right next door, is melting down. Yet, they are basically the same people — they look alike, they eat the same food, they dress alike. But there is one overriding difference: India has a culture of diversity. India is now celebrating 60 years of democracy precisely because it is also celebrating millennia of diversity, including centuries of Muslim rule.

Nayan Chanda, author of a delightful new book on globalization titled "Bound Together: How Traders, Preachers, Adventurers, and Warriors Shaped Globalization," recounts the role of all these characters in connecting our world. He notes: "The Muslim Emperor Akbar, who ruled India in the 16th century at the pinnacle of the Mughal Empire, had Christians, Hindus, Jain and Zoroastrians in his court. Many of his senior officials were Hindus. On his deathbed, Jesuit priests tried to convert him, but he refused. Here was a man who knew who he was, yet he had respect for all religions. Nehru, a Hindu and India's first prime minister, was a great admirer of Akbar."

Akbar wasn't just tolerant. He was embracing of other faiths and ideas, which is why his empire was probably the most powerful in Indian history. Pakistan, which has as much human talent as India, could use an Akbar. Ditto the Arab world.

I give King Abdullah credit, though. His path-breaking meeting with the pope surely gave many Saudi clerics heartburn. But as historic as it was, it left no trace. I wished the pope had publicly expressed a desire to visit Saudi Arabia, and that the king would now declare:
"Someone has to chart a new path for our region. If I can meet the pope in the Vatican, I can host Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Shiite and Buddhist religious leaders for a dialogue in our sacred house. Why not? We are secure in our own faith. Let us all meet as equals."

Why not?


SOURCE: www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/opinion/11friedman.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/B/Benedi...

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The Holy Father met today with
- Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals
- H.E. Suprapto Martosetomo, Ambassador of Indonesia, who presented his credentials. Address in English.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops
- Mons. Angelo Amato, Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

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POPE RECEIVES
NEW INDONESIAN AMBASSADOR

Vatican City, Nov. 12 Earth Times.org) - Pope Benedict XVI on Monday praised authorities in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation for "promoting inter-religious cooperation."

But the pontiff who made the remarks in a meeting with Indonesia's new ambassador to the Vatican, Suprapto Martosetomo, also stressed the need for "constant vigilance" to ensure people enjoyed the right to practice their faiths freely.

"Indonesia, a multi-religious country with the largest Muslim population of any nation in the world plays an important and positive role in promoting inter-religious cooperation, both within its borders and in the international community," Benedict said according to a Vatican statement.

Benedict said such cooperation was particularly important between Christians and Muslims who "worship the one God who is the Creator and beneficent Lord of the whole of human life."

The pontiff said that although Catholics in Indonesia are a small minority- the total population is estimated to be 235 million, with over 85 per cent Muslim - they contributed to society through a network of educational and health care institutions.

"While their (Christians) right to the free exercise of their religion in complete equality with their fellow citizens is guaranteed by the national Constitution (of Indonesia) the protection of this fundamental human right calls for constant vigilance on the part of all," Benedict said.

In September last year the Vatican criticised Jakarta for the execution of three Christians convicted of masterminding a series of attacks on Muslims in the archipelago nation's region of Sulawesi that killed at least 70 people in 2000.

The executions of the men for which the Vatican had asked clemency sparked riots with thousands of protesters torching cars and looting shops.

An APcom item, translated here, picks up the Pope's words on taking he name of God in vain to justify terrorism to lead off its story on the Pope's meeting withthe new Indonesian ambassador.



POPE UNDERSCORES TERRORISM THREAT

VATICAN CITY, Nov. 12 (Apcom) - Pope Benedict XVI used strong words today in reiterating his condemnation of the use of the 'holy name of God' to justify acts of violence or terrorism, in addressing the new ambasssador of Indonesia to the Holy See.

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population of any single country in the world today.

The Pope said:
"One of the gravest threats to Indonesia’s cherished ideal of national unity is the phenomenon of international terrorism. I deeply appreciate your reaffirmation of the Government’s position of condemning terrorist violence, under whatever pretext it occurs, as a criminal offence which, by its contempt for human life and freedom, undermines the very foundations of society.

"This is particularly the case when the holy name of God is invoked as a justification for such acts. The Church at every level, in fidelity to the teaching of her Master, unequivocally condemns the manipulation of religion for olitical ends, while urging the application of international humanitarian law in every aspect of the fight against terrorism.


MEETING WITH CARDINAL SODANO

A Vatican communique says that at the end of the Pope's meeting with Cardinal Sodano today, the Dean of the College of Cardinals , who is also the president of the Cardinals' supervisory commission for the IOR (Istituto per le Opere di Religione - the Vatican's private bank), presented the new directors to the Pope: Paolo Cipriani, director general; Prof. Angelo Caloia, president of the oversight committee and the supervisory council, and Mons. Piero Pioppo.

Note: If this should go elsewhere then please move it!

Pope to visit Washington and New York in April

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Pope Benedict XVI will visit Washington and New York next April to celebrate Masses and address the United Nations in his first US trip since becoming pontiff, the Catholic Church said Monday.

The pontiff's visit will take place from April 15 to 20, said Sister Mary Ann Walsh, spokeswoman for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Walsh confirmed that Vatican ambassador Archbishop Pietro Sambi had unveiled the details of the trip in a speech to the Conference's fall meeting in Baltimore.

"Peter, the rock on which Jesus founded this church, will be among us in the person of his successor, Benedict the XVI," the Catholic News Service, which is affiliated with the Conference, quoted Sambi as saying.

Walsh told AFP that the pope would arrive in Washington on April 15 and receive an official welcome at the White House the next day, his 81st birthday, when he will also address US bishops.

On April 17 he will celebrate Mass at the new Washington Nationals baseball stadium, and meet with directors of Catholic colleges and diocesan educational leaders.

On April 18, the pope will head to New York to address the United Nations at the invitation of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

On April 19, the third anniversary of his election as pope, Benedict is due to celebrate Mass at New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral before visiting the site of the fallen World Trade Center the next day.

The pope's visit to Ground Zero will be in "solidarity with those who have died and their families and all who wish for an end of violence and the implementation of peace," Archbishop Sambi said.

After his tour of the World Trade Center site, the pope will round off his US visit with Mass at New York's Yankee baseball stadium, Walsh said.

In September, the Vatican said Benedict would visit New York to address the UN next year, most likely in April, but gave no other details.


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I was just going to post the Apcom bulletin about it. Here is a translation:


ROME, Nov. 12 (Apcom) - Pope Benedict XVI will visit the United States on April 15-20, 2008. He will visit the White House on April 16, Ground Zero in New York City on April 20, and address the United Nations on April 18.

These were made known today by Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States.

The reason for the visit, Sambi said, is "to show slidarity with those who saw their loved ones die in the terror attacks 9of 9/11) and with all those who pray daily for an end to violence in the world."

He will celebrate two public Masses while in the US - at National Stiadum in Washington on April 17 (his 81st birthday) and at Yankee Staidum in New York on April 20.