Isn't this great news? I only wish that the Holy Father had decided to take off his shoes in the Mosque out of respect ( but after all, its his call to make). Later this week, he will be going to the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. It is an important step in inter faith relations an dunity amongst all peoples.

http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/benedict-xvi-sets-new-papal-record-mosque-visits

Robert K.:

Christ is Risen!!

I'm not so sure. It's a matter of what message is being received by the audience, not the intnetion of the sender in these situations. Islam sees Christian leaders coming to them as confirmation of their erroneous view that all religions will eventually come around to being part of them or dominated by them. The extremists see these actions as those of weakness, and there are more of them around than the small number of people the Pope is in contact with during these visits.

It seems to me that there is also the danger of compromising the Gospel: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father except through Me." I wonder how that would go over in a mosque.

In Christ,

BOB

Bravo Bob Bravo!!

I thought it was significant that the Holy Father, in his address to the King of Jordan during the welcome ceremony at the Queen Alia airport, expressed his respect for the Muslim community, rather than the Muslim faith. Of course, we should respect Muslims both individually and as a community, because they sincerely believe in the one God and the day of judgement, and because they honour Jesus and his mother, but as Christians we can hardly respect a faith based on the alleged sayings of a false prophet, a faith which bans conversion to Christianity. I am sorry if this seems harsh, but it is, I believe, the truth.

I think his many visits are viewed by many Muslims as a sign of the weakness of the Christian position. I believe that from experience that some Muslims believe that the visits are an apology by him for his words at that German University.

Nevertheless, I don't believe his actions should be guided by his fear of how they will be perceived by some Muslims. I would rather think that these visits are a continuation of his challenge to Muslims to think rationally. Will he be successful? After so many centuries of aggression on the part of Islam against the world and so few years in which Islam actually offered much of anything positive it is quite a stretch of hope. But I trust the Spirit's guidance of the pope and his gifts at perception better than I do my own. So I will simply hope and pray.

CDL

The Jordanian prince that gave a very kind, friendly, and insightful introduction for the Pope, I was very impressed with. He gave a lot of respect to the Christians of Jordan.

Prince Ghazi Muhammad Bin Talal

Eh, usually I wouldn't be so keen on all of this, but something about Pope Benedict inspires a lot of trust in me. I trust he has a handle on the situation.

Alexis

I would not be surprised if the visit to the Mosque has been made a little easier because Pope John-Ppaul did it earlier. Building blocks that one Pope's activities build something the next can use in their Pontificate (that includes mistakes at times).

Just please no more kissing of the Qur'an.

Alexis

Apparently it wasn't his call but that of the hosts. The clarification appeared a number of places. I see it here for example:
"Today’s frenzy only lasted about 15 minutes, however, as it quickly became clear that keeping his shoes on wasn’t the pope’s choice. Instead, it turned out that his hosts at the mosque had laid down small aisles of carpet for the pope and his party to walk along, so the visitors were told it wasn’t necessary to remove their shoes." http://tinyurl.com/qsh5me

The Holy Father's trip has been truly wonderful, and we who have access to Catholic TV are so blessed to have so much coverage!

The proper "porta-voz" of Vatican, Frederico Lombardi, cleared that about the shoes.

Dear Logos- Alexis

SECOND THE MOTION!

and I won't even tell you the nickname that John Paul II earned himself in this regard!

Fr. Serge

If the Pope did that, the traddie blog-world will be screaming that this Pope is an apostate

He did have them off in the one at the dome. EWTN had some video, and they shot a picture of the popes feet. Then they showed him being assisted with getting his shoes back on. At the beginning of the discussion about shoes going off, they quickly brought it that it is a 'copy' of Christian tradition, citing the Syro-Malbar, and some others. Also, the Coptic's go without shoes.