The leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI, was in
Washington and New York this past week. While Pope John Paul II, his
predecessor, was known as a media figure, a sort of religious rock star,
this Pope somehow touches people in a remarkable way. The crowds who
turned out for the motorcades, the public Masses, the reception on the
South Lawn of the White House and so on exceeded expectations. In fact,
Father Jonathan Morris, who does religious commentary for the Fox News
channel from Rome, said the crowds on Wednesday through Sunday far
exceed those which turned out for the late John Paul II. One nun said,
"This Pope is perfect. He makes us feel proud to be Catholic again."
The Roman Pontiff celebrated his 81st birthday while in Washington. Some
church leaders worry that he will be a short-term Pope. Many of these
same leaders assumed that he would just be an interim Pope who would
take few new initiatives. That has not turned out to be the case. Among
other major acts, Pope Benedict XVI has revived the traditional Mass,
which has caused an uproar in some Catholic circles.
The Pope also has spoken out against radical Islam, proclaiming that no
God can compel man to kill in his name. Again, Pope John Paul II was
reluctant to take on Islam, which the Pope contends is a distortion of
the historical religion.
His views have not silenced Muslim clerics. Yunis al-Astal, in a fiery
sermon delivered on Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV, claims that Islam will conquer
Rome just as the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople. He predicted
that Rome will become an advance post for Islamic conquests. He says
these conquests would spread through Europe whereupon Islam will turn to
the two Americas. He said Eastern Europe might be the most difficult to
conquer.
"Allah has chosen you or himself and for his religion," al-Astal was
reported by Fox News, "so you will serve as the engine pulling this
nation to the phase of succession, security and consolidation of power,
and even to conquests through da'wa and military conquests of the entire
world."
Al-Astal, also as reported by Fox News, last June preached that it the
duty of Palestinian women to martyr themselves by becoming homicide
bombers. "The most exalted form of jihad is fighting for sake of Allah,
which means sacrificing one's soul by fighting the enemies head on, even
if it leads to martyrdom." He called Jews the brothers of apes and pigs
"who should taste the bitterness of death."