Religious differences can't stop dialogue, pope tells Australians

Published: 2008-07-18

SYDNEY, Australia (CNS) -- Differences among Christians and between Christians and other religions cannot be ignored, but they also cannot be an excuse to stop dialogue, Pope Benedict XVI told religious leaders in Sydney. The pope held separate meetings July 18 with representatives of Australia's Christian communities and with representatives of other religions. At the ecumenical gathering, the pope said that recognizing each other as Christians because of a common baptism is just the beginning of the relationship that should exist among followers of Christ. "The road of ecumenism ultimately points toward a common celebration of the Eucharist, which Christ entrusted to his Apostles as the sacrament of the church's unity," he said. But Pope Benedict also told the church's Christian dialogue partners, "I think you would agree that the ecumenical movement has reached a critical juncture." The pope said Christians must pray for God's help and the Holy Spirit's guidance as they try to follow the Scriptures and seek the truth. "We must guard against any temptation to view doctrine as divisive and, hence, an impediment to the seemingly more pressing and immediate task of improving the world in which we live," the pope said.

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