Pope warns: West seems 'tired' of faith
April 21, 2011
As he celebrated the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, April 21, Pope Benedict XVI asked whether Western society has lost interest in the Christian faith that shaped its culture.
The people of the Western world—of what was once known as Christendom—now seem to be “to a large extent a people of unbelief and distance from God,” the Pope said. “Is t perhaps the case that the West, the heartlands of Christianity, are tired of their faith?”
Despite the weakness of the West today, the Pope said, Christians can take courage from “shining examples of faith.” He mentioned in particular Pope John Paul II, whose beatification will take place on May 1. But the late Pope is not alone, he said, calling attention to all the saints. “Even today there are people who through their faith and love give hope to the world,” he said.
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Further information:
- Pope warns of falling belief in West (Reuters)
- Pope pays tribute to John Paul II ahead of beatification (ANSA)
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Posted by: -
Apr. 21, 2011 6:50 PM ET USA
Europe is the home of the Reformation: if even Christians cannot agree on even the basics, that discredits the whole notion of truth. And since God is Truth...
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Posted by: umpynelson3459 -
Apr. 21, 2011 3:38 PM ET USA
Pope Benedict asks are the people of the Western Church tired and have they lost interest in the faith? The answer is undoubtedly yes and it’s because for the most part the shepherds have allowed the flock to wander away, persuaded by flash and glitter of other fields. They do not teach the “faith”. They teach attendance if they teach anything at all. The shepherd can go though all the motions he wants if the sheep don’t understand, they wont stay. The Church needs teachers who believe what they teach and preachers who believe what they preach. Look around you, do you see the tiredness.
