Thursday, April 18, 2013

Vatican to hold dialogue next month between Roman Catholics and atheists in 3 Mexico cities

The Vatican says it will hold a dialogue with nonbelievers in three Mexican cities next month.
 
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, who heads the Vatican's culture office, says this will be the first time for "Courtyard of the Gentiles" meetings to take place in a Latin American country.

He said Friday that drug trafficking and the religiosity professed by drug traffickers will be discussed at sessions to be held May 6-9 at universities in Monterrey, Puebla and Mexico City.

The Vatican says the event will give seminarians, university students, bishops and atheists an "occasion to reflect on the place of faith in Mexico's public and academic life."

Pope Benedict XVI said in 2009 that he thought the Roman Catholic Church should hold such meetings so nonbelievers could get to know God.