Vatican City: Leaders of the Roman Catholic Church were locked in debate on Thursday. The debate was over relations with the Muslim world in the wake of recent anti-Christian violence and other challenges facing the Church on the eve of the first consistory of Pope Benedict XVI's pontificate.
A consistory in the Roman Catholic Church is an assembly of cardinals presided over by Pope for the solemn promulgation of papal acts, such as the canonization of a saint.
Benedict called his more than 100 cardinals and cardinals-elect to a special day of "reflection and prayer" at the Vatican ahead of Friday’s consistory, in which he will elevate 15 new cardinals.
The Church is facing important cultural challenges for its relationship with the Islamic world. It is also having long-term rifts with the Orthodox Church and the Chinese government over the question of religious freedom
All these issues shall be discussed in the behind-closed-door discussions.
"We will most likely discuss the urgent question of relations with the Muslim world, whether it be the situation of Christians who live in countries with an Islamic majority, or the emigration which is bringing the Middle East to Europe," German Cardinal, Walter Kasper said on Wednesday.
Though they were inevitable absences among a group in which many prelates are well into their 80s, the rare gathering of the Church leadership began just a few minutes behind schedule when the 78-year-old pontiff chanted a prayer for guidance, answered by his cardinals.
The opening of the day of "prayer and reflection" was shown to journalists via closed-circuit television but the debate itself is being held in secret.
Following the opening prayer, Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano reminded cardinals that the pope had specifically called the meeting to discuss "the great pastoral challenges of the present time".
"By convoking this consistory, Your Holiness shows us the importance he places in the College of Cardinals," Sodano added. The cardinals are Pope’s principal advisors in running the worldwide Church.
Cardinals representing five continents have been encouraged to raise issues of concern in their regions. Benedict first introduced an open debate, unusual for the Vatican, when he presided over his first synod of bishops in October 2005.
The debate opened after a brief pause to allow the secretary of the College of Cardinals, Monsignor Francesco Monterisi, to show the multicultural gathering how to operate the microphones and receive the simultaneous translation available in Italian, English, French and Spanish.
The gathering includes the 15 who will be elevated to the status of cardinals in a colourful ceremony at the Vatican today, though they still wore their violet belts and skull caps to signify their relatively low rank as bishops, contrasting with the red worn by their cardinal brothers.
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