VERONA, Italy (CNS): Pope Benedict XVI told Italian Catholic leaders that unless the West returns to its Christian roots it will be unable to dialogue with other religious cultures.
The Pope did not mention Islam in his speech on October 19, but his theme was one he has explored with increasing frequency in regard to dialogue with Muslims – that the followers of non-Christian religions like Islam mistrust the West’s secular drift.
He spoke in the northern Italian city of Verona to some 2700 Church delegates of the Fourth National Church Convention, a pastoral planning meeting held once every 10 years.
The Pope’s hour-long speech explored a favourite topic of his 18-month-old pontificate – that personal faith should have a cultural impact, particularly in areas of the family, marriage, protection of human life and education.
While praising the vitality of Italian Catholic organisations and the country’s religious traditions, the Pope said Italy shares in a dominant Western culture that tends to exclude God and religion from public life.
