More of Pope Benedict's Comments
Benedict had things to say about keeping Sunday holy and the importance of faith to Europe.
"Europe cannot and must not deny her Christian roots."
The highlight of the Pope's trip came on Saturday, September 8, when he celebrated Mass at the Marian shrine of Mariazell, which is marking its 850th anniversary this year. In his homily, the Pontiff told the 45,000 people who had braved the inclement weather that Christianity can never surrender to the modern climate of skepticism prevailing today in Europe.
"In fact," the Pope said, "our faith is decisively opposed to the attitude of resignation that considers man incapable of truth." That attitude, he observed, "lies at the heart of the crisis of the West, the crisis of Europe."
Christianity cannot re-conquer Europe and the West by force, the Pope cautioned. The power of the faith, he said, "is humble, and yields itself to man only through the inner force of truth." He added: "Truth proves itself in love."
In another recent comment, this time by an Orthodox cleric, the importance of "Christian culture" to Europe was highlighted.
Europe must maintain its Christian culture in order to survive in the modern world, a ranking Russian Orthodox prelate told an ecumenical gathering in Sibiu, Romania, this week.
