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Flashback: Pope Benedict XVI Believes Christianity Will Rekindle in Europe
National Catholic Register ^ | 2012

Posted on 11/14/2018 11:31:21 AM PST by CondoleezzaProtege

OCT. 17, 2012

Pope Benedict XVI granted a rare interview to the creators of a documentary in which he said that he is “convinced” that “there will also be a new springtime for Christianity” in Europe.

The movie, entitled Bells of Europe: A Journey Into the Faith in Europe, considers Christianity, European culture and the future of the continent. In addition to the Pope, it features interviews with leaders of the other main Christian denominations in Europe, as well as leaders in politics and culture.

“Young people have seen much — the proposals of the various ideologies and of consumerism — and they have become aware of the emptiness and insufficiency of those things.

“Thus, among the new generations, we are seeing the reawakening of this restlessness, and they, too, begin their journey making new discoveries of the beauty of Christianity; not a cut-price or watered-down version, but Christianity in all its radicalism and profundity. That is Christianity. It is true, and the truth always has a future,” the Pope said.

To emphasize Europe’s common Christian roots, the reflections are bound together by the sound of bells ringing out from around the continent, the casting of a bell in the ancient foundry of Agnone, and the music of Estonian composer Arvo Part.

“Ideologies have their days numbered. They appear powerful and irresistible, but, after a certain period, they wear out and lose their energy because they lack profound truth. They are particles of truth, but, in the end, they are consumed.”

“The desire for God … is profoundly inscribed into each human soul and cannot disappear. Certainly we can forget God for a time … but God never disappears."

(Excerpt) Read more at ncregister.com ...


TOPICS: History; Religion; Society
KEYWORDS: christendom; europe; eussr; pope
Pope Benedict's essays and books on the future of Europe have proven to be incredibly prescient! He has always been critical of the secular and anti-Christian character of the European Union as the primary source of its weaknesses. He predicted the growing discontent behind movements such as Brexit and the current crises. He hits it on the nail as to how the continent is to move forward:

“The challenge for Europe,” he asserted, is for its Christian soul “to find a shared expression in ecumenical dialogue between the Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Churches” and then “encounter this abstract reason. In other words, it must accept and maintain the freedom of reason to criticize everything it can do and has done, but to practice this and give it concrete form on the foundations and in the context of the great values that Christianity has given us.”

“Only by blending these elements can Europe have weight in the intercultural dialogue of mankind today and tomorrow. Only when reason has a historical and moral identity can it speak to others” and “find a fundamental unity in the values that open the way to the future, to a new humanism,” Benedict said.

“This must be our aim,” the Pope said. “For us, this humanism arises directly from the view of man created in the image and likeness of God.”

1 posted on 11/14/2018 11:31:21 AM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

Just in time to pay the Jisya to the ruling muslims.


2 posted on 11/14/2018 11:33:16 AM PST by DannyTN
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To: Biggirl; Mrs. Don-o; Salvation; ebb tide

Ping!


3 posted on 11/14/2018 11:37:25 AM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
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To: DannyTN

Yep! If things continue status quo, there will be no ethnic Europeans left to Rekindle. Islam will rule and make them Janissaries in the new Islamic Al Andalus.


4 posted on 11/14/2018 11:51:38 AM PST by Jan_Sobieski (Sanctification)
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

I actually respected Pope Benedict for his stance on Islam. This current Pope, wants to bring Islam and Christianity together (Chrislam). This is insane!


5 posted on 11/14/2018 11:53:22 AM PST by Jan_Sobieski (Sanctification)
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

it would be a nice first step if Christianity would rekindle in that little ittsy-bitsy part of Europe known as the Palatium Apostolicum


6 posted on 11/14/2018 12:05:05 PM PST by faithhopecharity ("Politicians aren't born, they're excreted." -Marcus Tillius Cicero (3 BCE))
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To: Jan_Sobieski; Impy
>> I actually respected Pope Benedict for his stance on Islam. <<

Yet protestants did nothing but trash him at the time he was in office, mocking how old he was, calling him a NAZI, and posting photos comparing to him to Darth Sideous from Star Wars.

Now they retroactively say they "liked and respected your LAST Pope"

Interesting how that works.

7 posted on 11/14/2018 12:29:19 PM PST by BillyBoy (States rights is NOT a suicide pact.)
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To: BillyBoy

He had a chance to rid the Catholic Church of Priestly Celibacy. He chose wrong!


8 posted on 11/14/2018 12:38:35 PM PST by Jan_Sobieski (Sanctification)
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To: Jan_Sobieski

Pope Benedict could do the world a favor by coming out of retirement to replace the current pretender.


9 posted on 11/14/2018 12:44:12 PM PST by Vigilanteman (The politicized state destroys all aspects of civil society, human kindness and private charity.)
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

he is probably right but it will look nothing like Christianity. It will be based on environmental issues and global warming, LGBT teaching and orthodoxy, abortion at any age, etc.


10 posted on 11/14/2018 2:03:52 PM PST by dirtymac
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To: Jan_Sobieski

Why was celibacy a good choice for Jesus and St. John (and probably St. Paul), but a bad choice now?


11 posted on 11/14/2018 3:13:23 PM PST by Campion ((marine dad))
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