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Mar. 20 (CWNews.com) - The rise of Islam in today’s world is due largely to the failure of Christians to bear witness to “the law of love,” the Vatican’s Secretary of State has argued.
Cardinal Angelo Sodano, speaking to the Italian daily La Repubblica, recalled the words of a German bishop: “The strength of Islam is the weakness of Christians.”
“If we were more convinced of our faith,” Christians could build a “a world that is more reconcilied, more just, more at peace,” the Italian prelate said. Cardinal Sodano emphasized that he was speaking about the role of Christian believers, in the light of Church teaching. He took pains to distinguish between the role of Church teachers and that of political leaders, saying “it is not up to us to say what is the mission of states, which have another duty.” Christians, he said, should pray “that Europe does not lose its soul-- or, rather, rediscovers it.” Questioned about the proposal for teaching the Islamic faith to Muslim students in Italian public schools-- a proposal that has been endorsed by Cardinal Renato Martino, the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace-- Cardinal Sodano said that he would defend the principle of “reciprocity.” Muslim states, he said, should give Christians the same rights that Muslims enjoy in the historically Christian countries of Europe. Among these rights, he continued, are the right to free exercise of one’s religion. The Secretary of State deflected questions about his own future. The Secretary of State, who was appointed to that post by Pope John Paul II in 1990, is now 78 years old: well beyond the usual retirement age. But Cardinal Sodano said that he would continue serving as long as Pope Benedict XVI wishes. “We are all in the hands of Providence,” he observed mildly to La Repubblica.
ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=65931
Cardinal Angelo Sodano, speaking to the Italian daily La Repubblica, recalled the words of a German bishop: “The strength of Islam is the weakness of Christians.”
“If we were more convinced of our faith,” Christians could build a “a world that is more reconcilied, more just, more at peace,” the Italian prelate said. Cardinal Sodano emphasized that he was speaking about the role of Christian believers, in the light of Church teaching. He took pains to distinguish between the role of Church teachers and that of political leaders, saying “it is not up to us to say what is the mission of states, which have another duty.” Christians, he said, should pray “that Europe does not lose its soul-- or, rather, rediscovers it.” Questioned about the proposal for teaching the Islamic faith to Muslim students in Italian public schools-- a proposal that has been endorsed by Cardinal Renato Martino, the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace-- Cardinal Sodano said that he would defend the principle of “reciprocity.” Muslim states, he said, should give Christians the same rights that Muslims enjoy in the historically Christian countries of Europe. Among these rights, he continued, are the right to free exercise of one’s religion. The Secretary of State deflected questions about his own future. The Secretary of State, who was appointed to that post by Pope John Paul II in 1990, is now 78 years old: well beyond the usual retirement age. But Cardinal Sodano said that he would continue serving as long as Pope Benedict XVI wishes. “We are all in the hands of Providence,” he observed mildly to La Repubblica.
ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=65931