Other items of interest on the topic of Vatican relations w/ Islam (these via Zenit, yesterday's daily dispatch):
- On Vatican Radio yesterday, Fr. Justo Lacunza, recent past rector of the Pontifical Institute of Arab & Islamic Studies, remarked of the Pope's comments:
In this the Pope has done no more than take up again the sentiment and desire of millions of Muslims who in one way or another, say: 'Violence and Islam cannot be related,'
I don't know to what degree we can attribute this attitude to the Pope, but it's interesting to think the Holy Father might consider himself to be speaking up on behalf of oppressed Muslims themselves. (I think of a Pakistani friend who lives here precisely because he didn't want to live among the fascists.) - Also, the new Vatican Sec. for Relations With States grew up in Morocco and is a past nuncio to Sudan and Somalia.
- The papal itinerary for Turkey has been finalized. It includes a trip to the house whre some say Mary lived in the last years of her life, and he's lengthening his stay by a day to add a meeting with Catholic believers (can't believe they left that out at first!)
