Pope invited to address EU parliament

Pope Benedict XVI has been invited to address a plenary session of the European parliament, it was confirmed today.

The assembly’s president, Hans-Gert Poettering, made the invitation during a private audience with the Pope at the Vatican on 23 March.

A source in Poettering’s office today said they were still awaiting a response but were “hopeful” it would be accepted.

The aide said Poettering had raised the possibility of a papal visit with each of parliament's political group leaders before his visit to Rome.

The idea would be for the Pope to address a plenary session, possibly in Strasbourg, on dialogue between religions and cultures, including the role religions can play in dialogue based on truth and tolerance.

“It would be wonderful if the offer is accepted, particularly as it is so long since a pope visited parliament,” she said.

The last time parliament played host to a pontiff was in October 1988 when John Paul II spoke at a plenary session in Strasbourg.

“Poettering invited the Pope because he believes an exchange of views with such an important spiritual leader could be very, very useful,” said the source.

“The president has made dialogue between religions and cultures one of the priorities of his mandate and this is an issue which is clearly shared by the Catholic church as well.”

During their recent discussion, Poettering and the Pope, a fellow German, are believed to have spoken about the question of citing the Judeo-Christian roots of Europe in the constitutional treaty and of the problems of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue.

The Vatican had campaigned to have the continent’s Christian roots cited in the treaty, but drafters of the text rejected the idea.

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