Pope to visit France

Vatican sources revealed a few weeks ago that Pope Benedict XVI was planning an apostolic visit to Paris and Lourdes. However, officials of the Holy See neither denied, nor confirmed the news.

The French daily Le Figaro quite recently reported that the Pope's planned trip to France will take place from September 12 to 15, adding that the papal visit would start with a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. It also reported that the Pope has also asked to address the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences at the Institut de France in Paris, of which he was elected a foreign member in January 1992 as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

A great charism of Pope Benedict, as a highly talented scholar, is his willingness to share his views and his knowledge so it was no surprise at all that he has asked to speak at the institute. As he showed in his address at Regensburg, Germany, last September, and in his prepared speech at Rome's 'La Sapienza' university in January, the Pope always seeks to explore ways in which theology can participate in today's intellectual debates.

He emphasises that theology should not just be about the history of ideas, but should be able to inquire more broadly into the rationality of faith. It is in this way, says Benedict, that it can contribute to "that genuine dialogue of cultures and religious so urgently needed today".