serve as an invitation to Muslims "to abandon terrorism", Catholic media reported Sunday, July 24. Well informed Catholic World News (CWN) quoted Papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls as saying that the meeting was not listed on the original schedule for the papal visit to World Youth Day in Cologne next month, but was added later "when it was clear that the Pope wanted it."
CWN said the pontiff as explained to reporters that his conversation with Muslim officials could serve as a signal to Muslims generally of the desire for peaceful discussion and "an invitation to abandon terrorism."
ISLAM PEACEFUL?
However the leader of the world’s one billion Catholics has so far declined to describe Islam as a peaceful religion, and reportedly said he "would not like to use big words to apply" generic labels. "It certainly contains elements that can favor peace; it also has other elements. We must always seek the best elements."
News of his decision to meet Muslim leaders came shortly after he appealed to all believers to
pray that God will stop "the murderous hand" of terrorists, a day after deadly bomb blasts
rocked an Egyptian resort town.
The Pope made his appeal Sunday, August 24, before praying the midday Angelus with an
estimated 8,000 people who came to the Alpine chalet in Valle d’Aosta, Italy, where he is
vacationing, news reports said.
"TRAGIC NEWS"
"These days of peace and rest have also been disturbed by the tragic news of the execrable
terrorist attacks, which have caused death, destruction and suffering in several countries, such as Egypt, Turkey, Iraq and Great Britain," the pope added.
On Saturday the Vatican published a message that Benedict XVI sent to the civil and religious authorities of Egypt as soon as he heard of the three bombs that exploded in Sharm al-Sheik, a Red Sea resort town.
"In condemning the senseless acts, His Holiness appeals to all to renounce the way of violence which causes so much suffering to civilian populations, and instead to embrace the way of peace," affirmed the message, sent in the Pontiff’s name by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state.
POPE PRAYING
Vatican spokesman Navarro Valls told reporters that, upon hearing the news of the attacks, "the Pope retired immediately to pray for the victims and the wounded," Catholic news
media said.
On July 10, in his first public audience after the July 7 bombings in London, the Pope appealed to terrorists "in God’s name, stop!" and, in a telegraphed message of condolence, referred to the attacks as "barbarous."
This weekend the Pope sent similar messages of condolence to the victims of new terrorist attacks in not only Egypt, but also Turkey and Iraq. Christians in Iraq have also expressed concern about the situation, amid fears that the growing influence of Islamic extremism could undermine their efforts to seek a constitution that respects all religions and will not be based on Islam. (With BosNewsLife Research and reports from Italy and Vatican City).
