Pope Urges Faithful Not to Be Silent About God

By Mark Hoerrner

The Pontiff is on vacation in the Italian Alps, but that doesn’t stop him from addressing world events. Distressed over popular opinion that would silence believers from speaking about the truth of God in order to maintain peace in the world, Pope Benedict XVI took time to address what he called the "dangers of remaining silent."

"Today in a multicultural and multireligious world, many are tempted to say, 'It is better for peace in the world among religions and cultures not to talk too much about the specifics of Christianity, that is, of Christ, the church and the sacraments,'" the pope said.

Peace will not come easily but must begin with the truth of Christ, the pontiff said.

"Precisely at this moment—a moment of great abuse of the name of God—we need the God who triumphed on the cross, who won not with violence but by his love…precisely at this moment we need the face of Christ to understand the true face of God and, in that way, to bring reconciliation and light to the world," he said.

The pope then went on to say that Christians should cry out to God, should pray with fervor, for the liberation of the oppressed everywhere from evil. Not for peace in the future, he said, but for peace today, and that only on the Body of Christ can be found the roadmap to such peace.

The pope made his remarks from a tiny parish that serves roughly 200 worshippers. Father Paolo Curtaz, the pastor of the parish of Rhemes-Saint-Georges never thought that one of his parishes would be able to accommodate an address from the Pope, so he said he was surprised when the Pope’s staff chose Rhemes-Saint-Georges as the place from which the Pontiff would speak.

"It was a surprise," Curtaz told Vatican Radio. "Saturday evening Msgr. Georg [the Pope’s personal assistant] phoned and said, 'We want to pray with you tomorrow.' And that's what happened."

Curtaz was impressed with the ability of the Pope to make himself understood, he said, as the pope was speaking extemporaneously.