Tuesday, December 12, 2006
FALLOUT FROM BENEDICT'S MOSQUE PRAYER
is recounted in an article from Reuters linked at NOR:
Pope Benedict may have prayed with a mufti in Istanbul's Blue Mosque, but that doesn't mean that Catholic children in his native Germany can follow his example when they gather for pre-Christmas festivities at their schools.
Cardinal Joachim Meisner of Cologne last week unexpectedly banned little Catholics from praying with Muslim classmates just as Catholic and state primary schools geared up for Christmas carols and Nativity plays that Muslim pupils often attend.
Coming only days after Benedict made an unexpected gesture of reconciliation by praying toward Mecca alongside Istanbul's Grand Mufti Mustafa Cagrici, the ban on Catholic pupils praying with non-Christians at these events sparked a wave of criticism.
"Especially after Benedict's trip to Turkey, it's amazing that Meisner wants to be more Catholic than the Pope," wrote the Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger, the main daily in the traditionally Catholic Rhineland city.
Confusion reigns. According to the article the Association of Catholic Religion Teachers in Germany, who are supposed to enforce the ban, oppose their bishop and promote multi-religious ceremonies. Helped along by a Pope in a mosque.
Looks like we are going to be a long time recovering from John Paul II's and now Benedict's dabbling in religions.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
