Courtyard of the Gentiles’- Foundation to Promote Dialogue to be launched

(December 29, 2010) The Vatican-born foundation, the Courtyard of the Gentiles, aimed at promoting dialogue between believers and non-believers, is being launched in March of 2011 at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The foundation, inspired by a speech of Pope Benedict XVI made in December 2009, is headed by Father Laurent Mazas. The inauguration will take place in Paris under the title, “Enlightenment, religion and common reason”. The ceremony will welcome politicians, intellectuals and philosophers. Fr. Laurent Mazas, Director, Court of Gentiles said “The main idea is organizing meetings of an advanced intellectual and cultural level about different topics, relating to for example, transcendence, and the existence of God. Also to say to non-believers: look at today's world, the current situation that we are living in together, globalization. We have to walk together and reflect together on the sort of human race that we want.” The ceremony will continue to unfold, in the Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris. “The Church should open a sort of 'Court of the Gentiles,' in which people might in some way latch on to God.” The Courtyard of the Gentiles was a historical free space in the Temple of Jerusalem that was reserved for Gentiles, who wished to pray there to one God, yet not take part in the mystery. Through this foundation, the Catholic Church will organize open forum of dialogue with non-believers. The organization is also planning similar meetings in Bologna, Stockholm, Prague and Santo Domingo, and they are working on having events in Russia, Spain, the United States and Canada.