Pope Benedict has not been entirely idiotic on the subject of Islam (unlike his Koran-kissing predecessor), but his recent statement about immigration is stunningly naive, given what's happened to Europe because of suicidal policies that have welcomed millions of hostile Muslims.

On January 18, the Catholic News Agency reported, Pope: Immigration is an opportunity for fostering peace:

Praying the Angelus January 18th, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, and encouraged Christians to look at immigration as "an opportunity for an encounter between civilizations" that can take place peacefully through prayer and action.

The Pontiff pointed out how this year, specially dedicated to St. Paul, he is choosing to point migrants' attention to St. Paul as a model. "Saul, this is his Jewish name, was born into a family of Jewish immigrants to Tarsus, an important city in Cilicia," the Pope explained.

"Paul grew up tricultural, Jewish, Greek and Roman, with a cosmopolitan mentality. When he converted from persecutor of Christians to apostle of the Gospel, Paul became an 'ambassador' of the risen Christ in order to make him known to all, in the conviction that in him all peoples are called to form the great family of the children of God."

What nonsense. The apostle Paul did not live in a world of suicide bombers and a "religion" (Islam) which can be better characterized as a totalitarian political system bent on world domination.

Rather than an occasion for strife, the Pope exhorted Christians to strive to use the phenomenon of immigration as "an opportunity for an encounter between civilizations." What is needed are prayer and action ”so that this may always take place in a peaceful and constructive way, in respect and dialogue, preventing any temptation to conflict and exploitation," he said.

One high Catholic official, Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, remarked a few years ago that Muslim immigration to Italy should be curtailed to "save the identity of the nation" — indicating the Vatican's attitude of "Diversity for thee but not for me."

If Pope Benedict is so interested in an "encounter between civilizations" via immigration, he could invite a few dozen African Muslims to move into the Vatican, which is actually a tiny country (110 acres) with a flag and sovereignty.

Of course, the proclamation is more hypocrisy from the Vaticrats, who recently expressed alarm at hundreds of Muslims who held a protest outside an Italian cathedral (noted in Britain's Daily Mail): Vatican 'uneasy' about Muslims praying outside cathedral during 'hate-filled' Gaza protest rally. Wouldn't that event have been a fine opportunity for encounter between civilizations?

Apparently nobody in Europe is talking about assimilation any more.