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Finally, Cardinale asked Bertone about commentaries on Benedict’s trip from conservative European intellectuals known as “devout atheists,” who are not religious believers but who nevertheless support parts of the moral and social message of the Catholic Church. Some had hoped for a more “hawkish” line from Benedict in Turkey.
“It’s important to recall that the spirit of the Crusades, or of clashes of civilizations, are no longer part of the Catholic church, which always has at heart the fate of its own children in majority Muslim countries, but also the dignity of every person, whatever race, nation or religion they belong to,” Bertone said.
“If I can put it in a sound-bite,” Bertone said, “the church doesn’t really worry about atheists, however devout, because they’re out of her spiritual jurisdiction, so to speak. Much more worrisome are those inside the church who work to distort its faith and moral principles, or who oppose the pope and his design for renewal of the church.”
“But that,” Bertone said, “is another story.”
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