Vatican City, Sep 16, 2011 / 09:13 am
Pope Benedict XVI will continue with plans to address the German parliament next week, despite the threat of a boycott by dozens of legislators.
“It would please us if the speech were to be received by the whole assembly,” said Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., adding that “if instead others disagree, it is not something that concerns us. The Pope will speak to those present.”
Fr. Lombardi’s Sept. 16 comments came during a briefing ahead of Pope Benedict’s visit to Germany, Sept. 22-25.
In recent weeks the German media has reported that dozens of left-wing parliament members are planning to boycott or walkout of the Pope’s address to Berlin’s parliament—called the Bundestag—over claims the papal address will violate a separation of church and state.