Excerpt:
Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the head of the German Bishops’ Conference, has called on Christians to seek contact to Muslims and non-believers in view of what he described as an era of “verbal, political and military rearmament.”
In comments to be delivered at a religious procession in Munich on the Christian holy day of Good Friday, Marx said Christian believers should say “no” when hate and violence were preached and condemn attacks on churches, synagogues or mosques.
He urged those of the Christian faith to go the path of non-violence and love when encountering people of other religions or those who professed no faith.
“For we know from our own experience as Christians in Europe and the world: Without friendship, without encounters, without openness for others, there is no understanding, no reconciliation, no community, but instead the creation of mistrust, fear and violence,” he said.