Papal visit in Berlin, perhaps in November 2009

Cathcon translation of Papst-Besuch in Berlin womöglich im November 2009

Berlin (AFP) - The new ambassador of the Vatican in Berlin, Archbishop Jean-Claude Périsset envisages the possibility of a German State visit by Pope Benedict XVI for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 2009. "The visit of the Pope to Berlin would be a sign for German unity and the anchoring of Germany within the worldwide Church," said the Apostolic Nuncio, to the news agency AFP in Berlin. He hoped that Benedict XVI, 20 years after the fall of the Iron Curtain would travel to his home country, similar to the visit to Poland by his predecessor Pope John Paul II in 1999.

The Pope's visit in Berlin would also have a positive impact on ecumenism, said the 68-year-old Nuncio. "The Pope would be in a region of the country in which Catholics are less strongly represented. This could lead to a new impetus to relations between the churches." The reason for the recent resentment in the dialogue between the Catholic and Protestant Church were because of especially raised but false expectations, said Périsset.

Many people have propagated the "illusion" that the unity of the church could be quickly restored with rounds of discussions and joint documents. Every community has their own faith-based principles and traditions. It was necessary to recall one’s own identity, said the Vatican ambassador. "Otherwise, we have an ecumenical magma, in which no one knows for what one stands."

Périsset who previously served as ambassador to the Holy See in Romania and Moldova sees himself as a "bridge builder" between German Catholics and Rome. "The Pope coming to his homeland would for me feel like a great vote of confidence," he said. At the same time, his new office gives him even greater responsibility. "The Pope has been aware of the Christian tradition in this country ever since its birth. I must now identify with this tradition;" said Périsset.

Since taking office last November, he had seen "the very strong unity" of the German Bishops who speak with one voice on the important social issues. One example was the "resolute stance" in the debate about easing the import of embryonic stem cells for research purposes.