`Only one way to God'

Pontiff's interfaith shift troubles non-Catholics

The Pope in America

Pope Benedict subsequently apologized for the reaction to a quotation that he said did not reflect his own beliefs and held an audience with Muslim leaders to elaborate. A group of 138 Muslim scholars signed an open letter to the pontiff calling for continued dialogue, and there are plans for a meeting this fall.

More recently, Pope Benedict drew protests last month when he personally baptized a Muslim convert to Catholicism.

"That was uncalled for," said Sayyid Syeed, national director of the Islamic Society of North America. "Conversions take place from Islam to Christianity, Christianity to Islam. They are fine. But highlighting that, that also created for us tremendous discomfort."

Still, Syeed said, Muslims and Catholics enjoy "wonderful" relations in America.

"We don't want those incidents to distract us from what we feel is our destiny, our obligation to build bridges," he said. "One particular incident, however bitter it may be, does not determine the entire relationship of two major communities in the world."

Baltimore Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien described the Regensburg address as, "in a way, very fortunate."

"I'm not sure it was an accident or misjudgment," he said. "He was calling for dialogue, and dialogue is taking place."

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