Vatican tries to calm Pope row as militants vow war

Al Qaeda militants in Iraq vowed war on "worshippers of the cross" and protesters burned a papal effigy on Monday over Pope Benedict's comments on Islam, while Western churchmen and statesmen tried to calm passions.

The statement by an umbrella group led by Iraq's branch of al Qaeda came after the Pontiff said on Sunday he was deeply sorry Muslims had been offended by his use of a medieval quotation on Islam and holy war.

"We tell the worshipper of the cross (the Pope) that you and the West will be defeated, as is the case in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya," said a Web statement by the Mujahideen Shura Council.

"We shall break the cross and spill the wine ... God will (help) Muslims to conquer Rome ... (May) God enable us to slit their throats, and make their money and descendants the bounty of the mujahideen," said the statement, posted on Sunday on an Internet site often used by al Qaeda and other militant groups.

In Iraq's southern city of Basra, up to 150 demonstrators chanted slogans and burned a white effigy of the Pope.

"No to aggression!," "We gagged the Pope!," they chanted in front of the governor's office in the Shi'ite city. The protesters also burned German, U.S., and Israeli flags.

A speech by Pope Benedict last Tuesday was seen as portraying Islam as a religion tainted by violence, causing dismay among Muslim states where some religious leaders called it the start of a new Christian crusade against Islam.

The Vatican has instructed its envoys in Muslim countries to explain Pope Benedict's words on Islam.

Benedict's new Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, said the Holy See's nuncios (ambassadors) in Muslim countries would be visiting government and religious leaders.

French President Jacques Chirac refused on Monday to criticize the 79-year-old Pontiff, but called for a more diplomatic use of language.

"It is not my role or my intention to comment on the Pope's statements. I simply want to say, on a general level ... that we must avoid anything that excites tensions between peoples or between religions," Chirac said on Europe 1 radio.

"We must avoid making any link between Islam, which is a great, respected and respectable religion, and radical Islamism, which is a totally different activity and one of a political nature," Chirac added.

The head of the world's Anglican church, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, defended Benedict.

"The Pope has already issued an apology and I think his views on this need to be judged against his entire record, where he has spoken very positively about dialogue," said Williams, the spiritual leader of 77 million Anglicans worldwide.

Williams told the BBC that all faiths could be distorted, and the Pope was simply giving an example of that.

"There are elements in Islam that can be used to justify violence, just as there are in Christianity and Judaism."

In Iran, a government spokesman said on Monday Pope Benedict's regret was a "good gesture" but not enough.

The Pope had referred to criticism of the Prophet Mohammad by 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus, who said everything the Prophet brought was evil "such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."

Questions had been raised on whether a papal visit to Turkey in November could go ahead, but the government, while calling his remarks "ugly," said there were no plans to call it off.

The Pope, head of the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics, said the quotation did not represent his personal views, but failed to satisfy some Islamic groups seeking a full apology.

In Somalia, an Italian nun was killed on Sunday in an attack one Islamist source said could be linked to the dispute. A Vatican spokesman hoped the killing was "an isolated event."

A senior Chinese Muslim expressed anger over the Pope's comments, Xinhua news agency said on Monday. This was in contrast to Chinese reticence over last year's publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a Danish paper that sparked violent Muslim protests elsewhere in the world.

"In his speech, Benedict insulted both Islam and the Prophet Mohammad. This has gravely hurt the feelings of the Muslims across the world, including those from China," Xinhua quoted Chen Guangyuan, president of the Islamic Association of China, as saying.

China insists its Catholics belong to a state-backed church that does not recognize the Pope's authority. Muslims are also under state control.

About 100 Indonesian Muslims protested peacefully over the Pope's remarks outside the Vatican embassy in Jakarta on Monday.

IT WAS MAY 30, 1862, penultimate day of the Month of Our Lady. After night prayers, before hundreds of boys went to bed, Don Bosco started like this:

"I want to recount to you a dream. It is true that he who dreams does not reason. In spite of that, I, who would recount to you even my sins if I were not afraid of making all of you run away and making the house collapse, will narrate it to you for your spiritual benefit. I had this dream a few days ago.

"Just imagine you were with me on a sea beach, or rather, on an isolated cliff and you did not see any other landscape except that under your feet. On that vast surface of water there was an innumerable multitude of ships arrayed for battle. Their prows were equipped with a beak of sharp iron in the form of a knife or arrow which hurt and pierced through where it clove. These ships were armed with cannons, equipped with guns and arms of every kind, incendiary materials and even books. They advanced against another ship much bigger and taller than all of them, trying to ram it with their beaks, to set fire to it, or at least to cause any possible damage to it.

"Behind that majestic flag-ship, equipped on all sides, there was a convoy of many small ships and sailing vessels which took signals of command from her and carried out operations of self-defense from the enemy fleets. The wind was against them and the agitated sea seemed to favor the enemy.

"In the midst of the immense expanse of the sea there sprung up from the waves two very high pillars, one a little distant from the other. On top of one there was the statue of the Immaculate Virgin, at whose feet hung a large placard with this writing on it: Auxilium Christianorum (Help of Christians)—over the other which was much bigger and higher, there was a Host proportionate in size to the pillar, and below it there was a placard with these words: Salus Credentium (Salvation of Believers).

"The Supreme Commander on the big ship, who was the Roman Pontiff, saw the fury of the enemies and the crucial situation in which his faithful were involved. He decided to convene around him the pilots of the minor ships (that is, the bishops) for consultation and measures to be taken. All the pilots went up and assembled around the Pope.

"They held council, but since the wind became more furious, they were sent back to control their own ships (Vatican Council I).

"The situation having improved a little bit, the Pope assembled the pilots around him for the second time, while the flag ship continues its course (Vatican Council II). But the tempest became frightful again.

"The Pope remained at the helm and exerted all his efforts to steer the ship to the middle of the pillars from the top of which were hung all around many anchors and huge hooks attached to chains.

"All the enemy ships made a rush to attack her and went all out to capture and sink her. Some with writings, books, and incendiary materials with which they were fully armed were trying to slant her; others with their cannons, guns and beaks. The fighting became more and more fierce. With the prows, the enemy made violent thrusts, but their efforts and assaults proved ineffective. Their repeated attempts proved unavailing. All their exertions and munitions ended in sheer waste. The big flag ship proceeded safe and undeterred in her course. It happened that now and then she received formidable hits which made large and deep cracks in her sides. But no sooner had she inhaled a puff of air (meaning Holy Ghost) coming from the two pillars than the damages and the gaps were closed and the rifts plugged. In the meanwhile, the cannons of the attackers burst, the guns snapped, so also were other arms, and the books were destroyed. Many ships were attacking from close quarters with small arms: with the hands, with blasphemies and curses.

"Somehow or other, the Pope was hit seriously and fell down. Once those around him went to his rescue and lifted him. The Pope was hit the second time. He fell down again and expired. A shout of victory and jubilation arose from the enemies. There was rejoicing in their ships. But immediately after the death of the Pontiff, another Pope was installed in his place. The assembled pilots had elected him so quickly that the notice of the death of the Pope arrived with the notice of the election of his successor. The adversaries began to lose courage.

"By dislodging and overcoming every obstacle, the new Pope managed to steer the ship up to the two pillars and on arriving between them, he tied it with a chain which hung from the prow to an anchor of the pillar on top of which there was the Host; then with another chain he tied it from the side opposite to another anchor attached to the pillar on which was placed the Immaculate Virgin.

"Now followed a great upheaval. All the ships which up to that moment had fought against the flag ship on which the Pope sat, took to flight, and dispersed, knocked and clashed with one another. Some went down and tried to sink the others. Some small ships which had fought bravely together with the Pope came along with the former to tie themselves to those pillars.

"Many other ships which had retreated for fear of battle remained at a great distance, watching prudently, until the wreckage of all the shattered ships were swallowed up in the gorges of the sea. Then they moved very slowly in the direction of the two pillars. As soon as they arrived there, they attached themselves to the hanging hooks and remained there happy and safe, together with the flag ship on which the Pope was. A great calm reigned in the sea, a supreme calm it was."

At this point Don Bosco asked Don Rua, "What do you think of this narrative?"

Don Rua replied: "It seems to me that the ship of the Pope is the Church, whose head he is; the other ships are men; the sea is this world. Those who defend the huge ship are good people who love the Holy See; the others are her enemies who, with all sorts of arms, make attempts to annihilate her. The two pillars of salvation seem to be devotion to Mary Immaculate and the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist."

Don Rua did not mention the Pope who fell dead, so Don Bosco was also silent on this point. He only added: "You have said well. Only one expression must be corrected: the enemies' ships are the persecutions; they prepare very serious troubles for the Church. What has taken place so far is almost nothing compared with what will occur. Her enemies are the ships which make an attempt to sink the flag ship, if they can. There remain only two means to save ourselves in the midst of so much danger and confusion. Devotion to Mary Immaculate, frequent Confession and Communion. It is necessary to use every means and try our best to practice them and have them practiced everywhere and by all. Good night!"

LINK

The Glory of the Olive. The Order of St. Benedict has said this Pope will come from their order. It is interesting that Jesus gave his apocalyptic prophecy about the end of time from the Mount of Olives.

This Pope will reign during the beginning of the tribulation Jesus spoke of. The 111th prophesy is "Gloria Olivae" (The Glory of the Olive). The Order of Saint Benedict has claimed that this pope will come from their ranks.

Saint Benedict himself prophesied that before the end of the world his Order, known also as the Olivetans, will triumphantly lead the Catholic Church in its fight against evil. Traditionally, the olive branch has been associated with peace, but in both the Old and New Testaments it also serves as an emblem for the Jews.

Putting the two together, some commentators believe that the reign of this pope will be a peaceful one during which the prophesied conversion of the Jews will take place.

Several ex-Jews are said to be highly placed in the Catholic Church now. And, it is noteworthy that the previous Benedict (XV) was a pope obsessed with peace. Some others say, he will lead all faithful followers of the Lord Jesus to martyrdom and others say that he will tear down the walls of the Vatican, auctioning off all the objects within, in order to feed and enlighten those in the 3rd World who have not yet heard the Gospel of Christ.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.