Dialogue is the Key

Benedict XVI and others in the Vatican have gone to great lengths in recent days to respond to the unexpected criticism and even violence that the Pope's speech at the University of Regensberg elicited from Muslims around the world. This speech, which was an academic presentation in an academic setting, attempted to identify what Benedict sees as a split between faith and reason in recent centuries and the modern world as root cause for so many of the troubles we see around us. Speaking not just for Christianity, Benedict asserts that "the world's profoundly religious cultures see this exclusion of the divine from the universality of reason as an attack on their most profound convictions."

In listening to and reading the varous responses, clarifications, and even apologies that have come from from the Church, one word is repeated over and over: dialogue. Benedict claims to be promoting more and more dialogue, which -- by definition -- is a two way street. Dialogue requires the ability to articulate clearly one's own view, and to listen actively to the view of the other. The pope wants there to be dialogue betweeen the great religions of the world, between the cultures of East and West, between religion and secular society.

I couldn't agree more that dialogue -- conversation, discussion, open communication -- is what we need to address so many challenges. Communication -- whether it be between two people or among "cultures" -- is the sine qua non that lays the foundation and provides the context for all human progress and happiness. That being said, how sad I am to know that Benedict and many Catholic church leaders are not so committed to dialogue within the Church as well as outside the Church. Why is the Pope not calling for "greater dialogue" with those inside the Church who feel unheard, unlistened to, and even attacked or unwelcome??

The Pope, Islam and Violence

Dr. Krauthammer got it right.

Prayer for Orphans

Each month the Vatican publishes the Pope's special prayer intentions. Usually both a "general" and "mission" intention are provided.

For August, Benedict's general prayer intention is: "That orphans may not lack the care necessary for their human and Christian formation."

While I understand the motivation behind Benedict's intention (probably actually written by some low-level curial Vaticrat), I presume that he would want even non-Christian orphans to be cared for and loved.

For this intention to be anything more than a "noisy gong," we must look to the ways in which societies the world over concretely care for those countless children who, for whatever reason, no longer have their natural parents. While some children who lose their parents are lucky enough to be cared for aunts and uncles, grandparents or even adult siblings, it is adoptive and foster parents who most often provide the care that the orphan so desparately needs. Given this, one would think that the Church would do all it could to support these folks who simply want to love and care for a child to whom life has dealt such a harsh blow.

Qualified adoptive and foster parents -- men and women, young and old, married and single, straight and gay -- should all be embraced by societies for their willingness to provide for the truly weakest among us.

Even as we join our voice with Benedict's for his August prayer intention, let us also pray for Benedict, Boston's Cardinal O'Malley, and other Church leaders who would do violence to children by not allowing them to be cared for by loving gay men and women seeking to put their own faith into practice!