2008-05-08 16:44:38

Pope Welcomes Melkite Greek Catholics


(08 May 08 - RV) Pope Benedict met members of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church on Thursday.

The Pilgrims present including His Beatitude Gregory III had come from various countries in the Middle East and diaporas throughout the world to make this pilgrimage to Rome which showed as Pope Benedict remarked the universality of the Catholic Church.

Speaking to those gathered the Holy Father focused on the figure of St Paul noting that the seat of the Melkite Patricarchate was established in the city of Damascus. The Pope recounted how on the way to this city St Paul was converted to Christianity which transformed his existence and opened the door of Christianity to all nations.

With the approach of the year devoted to this great saint, Pope Benedict then encouraged the pilgrims present in light of this occasion to work with all the faithful of their parishes and dioceses to renew their reading of the works of Saint Paul in order to give new momentum and knowledge to the person of Jesus.

The Pope went on to speak about relations between the Melkite church and especially praised ecumenical relations with the orthodox churches who share much of the same history, liturgy, and territory of the Melkite church.

He encouraged them to continue this important work in order to establish christian unity.

The Holy Father also praised the good relations that have been fostered with Muslim institutions in order to promote a sincere dialogue.

Then Pope Benedict turned to, as he called it, the restless and sometimes dramatic context in the Middle East and said that in accomplishing its mission the Church finds itself confronted with the role of politics its everyday life. The Pope stressed that while it is important that the clergy maintain contacts with political authorities they must not intervene in political life.

The Church said the Holy Father can be a becon of light in the form of the Gospel to aid those working for peace in and justice in this region of the world.







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