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May 27, 2012
 
 
 
 
 
 

Pope seeks more freedom for Catholics in Turkey

9 January 2010 / AP, VATICAN CITY
Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday pushed for more freedom for the Catholic Church in Turkey, saying that while Catholics in predominantly Muslim Turkey appreciate the freedom to worship guaranteed by the Constitution, the Catholic Church is waiting to be formally registered in the country.

He told the new Turkish ambassador to the Holy See that this would help the church “enjoy full religious freedom and to make an even greater contribution to society.”

Religions practiced by non-Muslim minorities in Turkey such as Orthodox Greeks and Jews have won formal registration, but the Roman Catholic and Protestant religions have not. This makes it difficult for them to establish new houses of worship.

Benedict praised Turkey as “a secular democratic state that straddles the boundary between Europe and Asia.” As such, the pontiff said, “Turkey is well placed to act as a bridge between Islam and the West” and contribute to peace efforts in the Middle East. He said the Vatican would support any “further efforts to put an end to long-standing conflicts in the region.”

 
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