By Cindy Wooden

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI said he hoped Catholics and Orthodox would continue to move closer to one another, eliminating all obstacles to their ability to celebrate the Eucharist together.

As is customary, Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople sent a delegation to the pope's June 29 celebration of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, patron saints of the Vatican.

Pope Benedict told the delegation, led by Metropolitan John of Pergamon, that he was looking forward to visiting Istanbul, Turkey, to participate in the Nov. 30 celebration of the feast of the patriarchate's patron, St. Andrew.

By Rueters

Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday called for peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians and an end to spiraling violence in Iraq.

Speaking to thousands of pilgrims in St Peter's Square, Benedict for the second time this week warned a spiral of "atrocious carnage" in the Holy Land and Iraq risked being aggravated if all sides failed to negotiate.

"In the face, on one side, of blind violence and atrocious carnage, and on the other, of the threat of aggravating the crisis in the last dramatic few days, there is a need for justice and a serious and credible peace plan: that unfortunately there is no sign of," Benedict said.

..."All must remember that every man, from whatever population, is a brother," Benedict said.

...Benedict, on Sunday, welcomed the meeting of Russian Orthodox and Catholic delegations in Moscow this month.

"This important meeting reveals the shared wish to promote the dialogue among civilizations and the search for a more just and peaceful world order," Benedict said.

Note from UTT: While Roman Catholics may believe that the following experience based faith is Christianity, the Bible does not support this

By Michael Brown

During Mass we're part of the Heavenly court. We're surrounded by angels. Too often we don't realize that.

Back a couple years ago I received a letter from a woman who lives in Minnesota. I get many letters, but this one touched me.

She sounded very level-headed and recounted how, in 1986, during Consecration of the Eucharist:

"I looked up and all of a sudden I could see with my physical eyes a multitude of adoration angels, suspended in a devout posture, encircling the altar, adoring the Eucharist -- Jesus.

"Their presence enhanced the devotion to God within my own heart. At the very moment of Consecration, several angels were lying prostrate at the foot of the altar. I noticed every single adoration angel positioned lower than the Eucharistic Host as Father held it up for all to praise and take notice of. Many were dressed in light, translucent gowns of heavenly colors shown in pinks, aqua, yellow, blue, and green, bathed in light.

"I was given the knowledge that these are adoration angels and their place before God is to adore the Eucharistic Jesus during Mass and they are always present during Consecration."

The Hamas interior minister's order to "shoot at Israeli forces" is a declaration of war on Israel - or at least a nullification of the Oslo Accords. So says left-wing legal commentator Moshe Negbi.

Hamas Authority minister, Said Siyam, ordered his security forces last night to fight back against the Israeli invasion.
 
Moshe Negbi, who is generally known for his extreme left-wing views, said that this may be considered as a declaration of war against Israel. Speaking on Israel Radio this afternoon, Negbi agreed that PA Chairman Abu Mazen (Fatah), and even Hamas prime minister Abu Haniyeh, had distanced themselves from the order, "but this is not enough. They must fully rescind the order in order for it to be nullified."

MOSCOW, JULY 6, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The World Summit of Religious Leaders ended on Wednesday with a joint message from Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus and Shintoists to the G-8 leaders and all believers.

"We, the representatives of different religions and confessions, were unanimous in affirming that it is indispensable to put an end to the constant increase of opposition between people, with violence, cruelty and terrorism," said Patriarch Alexy II, on closing the summit.

"Our mission is to remind the world of the imperishableness of the moral values that each religion and confession professes. Each one of us preaches on this. But today, we say it with one voice, which heads of government, international public opinion and our faithful must finally heed," said the Patriarch.

..."We call for an end to any insult to religious feelings and defilement of texts, symbols, names or places held sacred by believers."

...The final message states that "interreligious dialogue should be maintained by religious leaders and experts, and enriched by the contribution of ordinary believers."

The summit leaders concluded with a "special appeal to all believing people," urging them "to respect and accept one another regardless of their religious, national or other differences."

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Rick Warren's popular "The Purpose-Driven Life" - the Christian bestseller credited by many last year with playing a role in convincing an Atlanta courthouse-shooting suspect to surrender after his murderous rampage and to release his hostage - may be put to an even tougher test next year when the Southern California preacher holds the first evangelical stadium crusade in 60 years in North Korea.

Warren, who is on a 40-day, 13-nation tour, will visit Kaesong on July 17 to plan for the March 2007 crusade after being invited by a group of North Korean businessmen who visited him at his Saddleback Church's Lake Forest office last month.

"I will be the first preacher in 60 years to speak publicly in North Korea," Warren told the Orange County Register. "I'm honored."

..."When you go in they have to loosen up on religious freedoms," Warren said. "They have to just by your presence. It's like Mandela going into a country. Automatically people start loosening up."

Suzanne Scholte, chairman of the North Korea Freedom Coalition isn't so sure.

"This is a Satanic regime," Scholte told Chad Groening of American Family Radio, "and to go in there and believe that you could actually preach freely is an illusion. It won't do anything to help the church. It will only put the true church at risk, and it will be used as a propaganda piece by the Kim Jong Il regime."

Warren said he is aware that some might misinterpret his visit as an endorsement of the North Korean regime.