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Fort Hood, Vatican II and Regensburg - Provocative Commentary by Louie Verrecchio
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November 12, 2009 - 10:25 PST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA ADVISORY
"What do Fort Hood, Vatican II and Regensburg have in common? More than you might think," writes Louie Verrecchio in his latest Catholic News Agency column.
HAMPSTEAD, MD (November 12, 2009) - A timely and provocative commentary on the geo-political-religious realities surrounding the West's relationship with Islam, this most recent "Harvesting the Fruit of Vatican II" column skillfully ties together the politically correctness of U.S. military leaders as it may have contributed to the Fort Hood massacre - something Verrecchio labels "political core-weakness" - and the ambiguous language of Nostra Aetate of Vatican II such as it contributes to the mistaken notion that the Allah of the Qur'an is synonymous with the God of Judeo-Christian tradition.
Verrecchio's analysis identifies a common thread running through Fort Hood and Vatican II and insightfully positions it in stark contrast to the intrepid approach to Islam taken by Pope Benedict XVI at Regensburg in September 2006.
"For Benedict's Muslim listeners, the Regensburg address was an invitation to either join him in confronting the notion of an irrational God head-on, or to dare an attempt of its defense through rational thought," Verrecchio writes.
"You see, the fertile intellect of Pope Benedict XVI had determined that common ground was most usefully constructed, not upon flowery language, but upon the divinely given gift of human reason that can serve as the launching point for true interreligious dialogue - if only the parties are willing," he continues.
The result?
"Three years after Regensburg," according to Verrecchio, "the Holy Father's challenge to Islamic leaders is beginning to bear fruit as sincere Muslims are slowly emerging from the shadows while those bent on evil and destruction are paradoxically revealing their motives as they scurry further into the darkness."
This reflects nothing less than "the natural progression of evangelization," Verrecchio writes. "When Christ is proclaimed, the Truth confronts, and a choice demands to be made; 'one is either with Him or against Him.'" (cf Mt. 12:30)
Verrecchio's conclusion?
"Nidal Hasan's military superiors can't turn the clock back and rethink the 'political core-weakness' that may have contributed to the Fort Hood tragedy. Nor can the Council Fathers go back and rewrite Nostra Aetate with an eye toward offering a greater degree of clarity. All of us, however, can learn a valuable lesson from the Holy Father's example of what it means to answer the Lord's call to carry the truth to all peoples, including the Muslims."
Editors of Catholic publications and other interested parties are invited to request reprint permission of this important and timely commentary via email at info@HarvestingTheFruit.com.
Contact
Salve Regina Publications, Inc.
http://www.harvestingthefruit.com
MD, 21074 US
Louie Verrecchio - President, 443 340-9615
Keywords
Fort Hood, Vatican II, Regensburg, Ecumenism, Islam
Category
Catholic Publications
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