[Desdemona]

"You're WAAAAYYY off base with this one.

In Catholic teaching, no he is NOT. JPII asked GOD to have mercy on the authors, no one else. That is God's place to forgive. We on earth don't have that luxury. We do what we have to.

He did not call for an end to the war. The calls to end violence were not directed at us.

He did not call for the UN to be involved. In fact, notice that there is no mention of the war at all or acting without approval.

Pay attention. This is a message of peace, yes, but His Holiness knows this has to be done. He's not going to come out and say "Let's Roll." He also knows that if we don't rout out the terrorists, there will be no peace. And that is what he desires above all.

[saradippity]

Thanks for pointing out that John Paul II called for God to forgive and have mercy on the "authors" of this act.

Certainly the terrorists manufactured and/or printed and/or delivered the "book",so to speak,but I think it highly unlikely they authored it.Far more likely the "authors" are alive and well and continuing to write lines for a script that may result in further,future acts of terrorism and violence.

No,I think the Pope was calling for prayers for many of us who unwittingly,with little malice or intent,support,for example,an NGO for refugees that require all women take birth control pills.This before they can access the antibiotics needed to combat their infection.

The Pope can only take every opportunity to invite us to look at ourselves through the eyes of Christ and ask us all to pray that God forgives and has mercy on those of us who may be blinded to our own complicity in evil.