Pope Benedict's Comments on the Airplane

(7 Sep 07 - RV) On the airplane to Vienna, Pope Benedict XVI said he was going to Austria to strengthen the faith of the people, because today we need God, and a life without God is a life without direction. He added that relativism, all relativism, makes it so we cannot anymore distinguish between good and evil. I will speak of our need for Christ, he said.

The Pope said it is not a political journey, but a pilgrimage with the important purpose of making Austrians conscious of their Christian roots.

He was also asked about the difficulties the Austrian Church has faced in recent times. The Holy Father said he wanted to thank all the people for what they have endured in the years, and have remained faithful to the Church, and always recognized the face of Christ.

He also said that the planned stop at the Judenplatz to visit the Holocaust memorial was to show the sadness, repentance, and friendship to the Jewish people, and the need to go forward in dialogue.

He also said that dialogue show also go forward with other Christian confessions and Muslims.