Pope Benedict XVI with Jordanian King AbdullahII and Queen Rania
Posted on 05/09/2009 2:55:31 PM PDT by NYer
AMMAN, Jordan, MAY 8, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is in the Holy Land as a self-defined "pilgrim of peace," but he hopes to bring the region more than an absence of conflict, says a Vatican aide following the weeklong pilgrimage.
Father Caesar Atuire, the delegate administrator of Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi, spoke with ZENIT about the Pope's trip, which began today in Jordan.
The Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi is the Vatican institution whose mission is to evangelize through pastoral tourism and the ministry of pilgrimage.
This trip is important, Father Atuire said, "because he is arriving in a moment in which this land is trying to find a way of living in peace among the various peoples and the Pope truly arrives as a pilgrim of peace."
"He arrives to call all those peoples who believe in the one God to this innate vocation that God has wanted to give to man, so we can seek peace in God and in respect for each other," the priest said.
"The prophet Isaiah presents the Messiah as 'the Prince of Peace,' he who is going to bring peace to the earth. And this is what we truly want: peace. The peace we seek is the biblical 'Shalom,' -- it is not just a question of leaving aside conflict in the sense of wars. We are seeking a deeper peace, meaning man living in harmony with God, with himself, and with others. This is a gift of God and it must be asked for in prayer. We can't obtain it only through political negotiations," he added.
Father Atuire affirmed: "This trip has begun very well with a lot of serenity -- because as always, before all of the Pope's trips, there are a lot of worries, there is a lot of conflict that some people want to stir up. But what we have seen is that the Pope has arrived truly as a messenger of peace.
"He has been welcomed by the people, by the Muslims, by the king who is Muslim, by his family. And he has also wanted to begin his visit visiting the poor, society's most marginalized, and I think this has given a very good start to this trip."
Jordan would be wonderful if we could kick out the Syrians and the Islamic nutbags. Part of my (lost) youth was spent in San Francisco, where there are lots of Jordanians and Arab Christians who fled from what is now Palestine. They were wonderful people, and they had a number of churches in SF.
I don’t particularly like Arabic chant (too many microtones!), but the Arabic liturgies are very beautiful.
I hope Pope Benedict’s security is on their toes, the Middle East with it’s plethora of radical jihadists is probably not the most hospitable environment for His Holiness to be traveling through.
:-) As a child, I hated olives. There are still some I don't particularly like. The same is true for some of this eastern music. But God in His great mercy and recognition of the need of these peoples, has drawn me into their liturgical worship and community service. Like the olives, I have adjusted over the years.
Watching the Vesper Service, I just wanted to run up and hug these Patriarchs, priests and religious. Despite centuries of religious turmoil, they stand steadfast in their support for the Holy Father and the Catholic Church. Reflecting on their struggles, I often ponder how many American catholics could withstand such attacks and continue to practice their faith, even in the face of death threats. God bless our pope Benedict XVI and these tenacious catholics!
King Abdullah II is most supportive and appreciative of the Holy Father's visit, especially the fact that he chose to visit Jordan first. He has taken great measures to ensure his security.
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