Tuesday, May 15, 2007

POPE APPLAUDS ECUMENICAL EFFORT



Pope applauds European ecumenical effort



Stuttgart, May. 15, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Christians should join together in Europe in an effort "not to lose our roots," Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) said in a message to an ecumenical assembly taking place this week in Stuttgart, Germany.

The Pontiff's message-- sent in his name by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone (bio - news), the Vatican Secretary of State-- cited the words of Pope John Paul II (bio - news) in decrying "the loss of Europe's Christian memory and heritage, accompanied by a kind of practical agnosticism and religious indifference whereby many Europeans give the impression of living without spiritual roots and somewhat like heirs who have squandered a patrimony entrusted to them by history."

The Pope's message applauded the ecumenical initiative, entitled "Together for Europe 2007," for its effort to bring together different Christian groups in defense of "a Europe that risks losing its original values and giving up on its Christian roots."

Pope Benedict's message went on to voice the hope that the ecumenical effort would "strengthen the desire for communion" among different Christian groups, and recognize that the ultimate success of any effort will rely on God's help.

Source: http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=51139

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