(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.