Teresa Kok

Given at the University of Regensburg on Sept. 12, 2006
Posted Saturday, Sep. 16, 2006http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1535672,00.html

It is a moving experience for me to be back again in the university and to be able once again to give a lecture at this podium.

I think back to those years when, after a pleasant period at the Freisinger Hochschule, I began teaching at the University of Bonn. That was in 1959, in the days of the old university made up of ordinary professors. The various chairs had neither assistants nor secretaries, but in recompense there was much direct contact with students and in particular among the professors themselves.

We would meet before and after lessons in the rooms of the teaching staff. There was a lively exchange with historians, philosophers, philologists and, naturally, between the two theological faculties…. The university was also very proud of its two theological faculties. It was clear that, by inquiring about the reasonableness of faith, they too carried out a work which is necessarily part of the “whole” of the universitas scientiarum, even if not everyone could share the faith which theologians seek to correlate with reason as a whole (more…)

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Some instances in which Pope John Paul II admitted errors or apologized for actions of the Roman Catholic Church:

– 1992: Declares the church was wrong to condemn astronomer Galileo for maintaining the earth is not the center of the universe.

– 1992: Visiting Senegal, begs for forgiveness for Christians who were involved in the slave trade.

– 1995: Issues document saying church is “truly sorry” for discrimination or mistreatment of women.

– 1995: During trip to Czech Republic, asks forgiveness for violence by Catholics against Protestants during 16th century Counterreformation.

– 1998: In document on Holocaust, expresses remorse for cowardice of some Christians during Nazi persecution of Jews.

– 1999: Denounces persecution of Jan Hus, 15th century religious reformer and precursor of Protestantism who was burned at stake.

– 2000: Asks forgiveness for sins of Catholics through the ages, including wrongs inflicted on Jews, women and minorities.

– 2000: In stop at Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, says Catholic Church “deeply saddened by the hatred, acts of persecution and displays of anti-Semitism directed against the Jews by Christians at any time and in any place.”

– 2001: On visit to Greece, issues sweeping apology for wrongs committed by Roman Catholics against Orthodox Christians.

– 2001: Apologizes for missionary abuses against indigenous peoples of South Pacific.


Last modified: September 17. 2006 5:36PM

15 September, 2006
by Samir Khalil Samir, sjhttp://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=7224