Pope Benedict XVI sounded two familiar themes-- the need to allow
religious expression in public debate, and the necessary for supporting
the family—as he met on February 3 with a new ambassador from Austria to
the Holy See.
The Pope told the ambassador, Alfons Kloss, that his visit to Austria’s
Mariazell shrine in 2007 had reminded him how deeply the Catholic faith
is rooted in Austrian life and culture.
He said that Austria, like other
European countries, should be mindful of the dominant role that the
faith has played in building a “common European home.”