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The Church as a
spiritual force in the peace process
On Friday, 8 May [2009],
the Holy Father answered the questions proposed by several journalists
accompanying him on his flight to the Holy Land. Fr Federico Lombardi,
SJ, Director of the Holy See Press Office and of the Vatican Radio,
introduced the question-and-answer session. The following is a
translation from the original Italian of the journalists' questions and
the Pope's answers.
Fr Lombardi:
Your Holiness, this journey is taking place
at a very delicate moment for the Middle East: there are strong tensions
—
at the time of the crisis in Gaza, there was even speculation that you
might decide not to come. At the same time, a few days after your
journey, the principal political leaders of Israel and the Palestinian
Authority will also be meeting President Obama. Do you think you can
offer a contribution to the peace process that now seems to have become
deadlocked?
Benedict XVI:
Good morning! First I should like to thank
all of you for the work that you do, and let us all wish one another a
good journey, a good pilgrimage, a good return journey. As for the
question, certainly I shall seek to contribute to peace not as an
individual but in the name of the Catholic Church, and of the Holy See.
We are not a political power, but a spiritual force, and this spiritual
force is a reality that can contribute to advances in the peace process.
I see three levels. First, as believers we are convinced that prayer is
a real force: it opens the world to God. We are convinced that God
listens and that he can act in history. I think that if millions of
people
—
millions of believers — all pray, this is truly a force that influences
and can contribute to moving forward the cause of peace. Second: we are
seeking to assist in the formation of consciences. The conscience is the
human capacity to perceive the truth, but this capacity is often impeded
by particular interests. And to break free from these interests, to open
up more to the truth, to true values, is a major undertaking: it is a
task of the Church to help us to know true criteria, true values, and to
free us from particular interests. And so
—
in third place
—
we also speak
—
no doubt about it
—
to reason: precisely because we are not a political force, we can
perhaps more easily, and in the light of the faith, see the true
criteria, we can assist in understanding what contributes to peace and
we can appeal to reason, we can support positions that are truly
reasonable. This we have already done and we wish to do so again now and
in the future.
Fr Lombardi:
Thank you, Your Holiness. The second
question. As a theologian, you have reflected particularly on the common
roots shared by Christians and Jews. How is it that, despite the efforts
towards dialogue, misunderstandings often occur? How do you see the
future of dialogue between the two communities?
Benedict XVI:
The important thing is that we really do
have the same roots, the same books of the Old Testament, a Book which
—
both for the Jews and for us
—
conveys Revelation. Yet of course, after two thousand years of distinct,
not to say separate, histories, it is no wonder if misunderstandings
arise, because very different traditions of interpretation, language and
thought have been formed, there is so to speak a very different
"semantic cosmos", such that the same words used in the two traditions
mean different things; and with this use of words that, in the course of
history have acquired different meanings, misunderstandings obviously
arise. We must each do all we can to learn the language of the other,
and it seems to me that we are making great progress here. Today it is
possible for young people, future teachers of theology, to study in
Jerusalem, at the Hebrew University, and Jews have academic contacts
with us: thus an encounter is taking place between one "semantic cosmos"
and the other. Let us learn from one another and let us go forward along
the path of true dialogue, let us each learn from the other, and I am
sure and convinced that we
will make progress. And this will
also help peace, indeed it will help mutual love.
Fr Lombardi:
Your Holiness, this journey has two
essential dimensions of inter-religious dialogue
—
with Islam and with Judaism. Are the two directions completely separate
from one another, or will there also be a common message concerning the
three Abrahamic religions?
Benedict XVI:
Certainly there is also a common message
and there will be opportunities to highlight it. Notwithstanding our
diverse origins, we have common roots because, as I have already said,
Christianity is born from the Old Testament and the Scripture of the New
Testament would not exist without the Old, because it makes constant
reference to "the Scriptures", that is, to the Old Testament. Islam too
was born in a world where both Judaism and the various branches of
Christianity: Judeo-Christianity, Antiochene Christianity, and Byzantine
Christianity were all present, and all these circumstances are reflected
in the Koranic tradition, with the result that we have much in common in
terms of our origins and our faith in the one God. So it is important on
the one hand to have bilateral dialogues
—
with the Jews and with Islam
—
and then also trilateral dialogue. I myself was the Co-Founder of a
foundation for dialogue among the three religions, at which leading
figures like Metropolitan Damaskinos and the Chief Rabbi of France René
Samuel Sirat and others came together, and this foundation also issued
an edition of the books of the three religions: the Koran, the New
Testament and the Old Testament. So the trilateral dialogue must go
forward, it is extremely important for peace and also
—
let us say
—
for living one's own religion well.
Fr Lombardi:
One final question. Your Holiness, you have
often spoken of the problem of the declining number of Christians in the
Middle East and especially in the Holy Land. It is a phenomenon with
various causes of a political, economic and social character. What can
be done in practice to assist the Christian presence in the region? What
contribution do you hope to make with your journey? Is there hope for
these Christians in the future? Do you have a particular message for the
Christians in Gaza who will come to meet you in Bethlehem?
Benedict XVI:
Certainly there is hope, because while this
is a difficult moment, as you have mentioned, it is also a time of hope
for a new beginning, for a new impetus along the path to peace. We wish
above all to encourage the Christians in the Holy Land and throughout
the Middle East to remain, to offer their contribution in their
countries of origin: they are an important component of the life and
culture of these regions. In practice, what the Church brings
—
in addition to words of encouragement and common prayer
—
are chiefly schools and hospitals. In this sense, we have thoroughly
practical establishments here. Our schools educate a generation that
will be able to make its presence felt in life today, in public life.
The Catholic Church is opening a University in Jordan, which strikes me
as an important setting in which young people
—
both Muslims and Christians
—
will meet, will learn together, and where a Christian intelligentsia can
be formed that is suitably prepared to work for peace. But in general,
our schools provide a very important opportunity that opens up a future
for the Christians, and the hospitals make our presence visible.
Moreover, there are many Christian associations that help Christians in
different ways, and with practical assistance they encourage them to
stay. So I hope that the Christians really will find the courage, the
humility, the patience to remain in these lands, and to offer their
contribution to the future of these lands.
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