The leader of the Catholics was speaking Sunday to about 40 leaders of Ecumenical Council of Churches in the Czech Republic. The Pontiff's 3-day visit, which began on Saturday, came as the country prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1989 Velvet Revolution, which ousted a communist regime that had ruthlessly persecuted believers and confiscated church property.
"Europe continues to undergo many changes. It is hard to believe that only two decades have passed since the collapse of former regimes gave way to a difficult but productive transition towards more participatory political structures.
"During this period," the Pope said, "Christians joined together with others of good will in helping to rebuild a just political order, and they continue to engage in dialogue today in order to pave new ways towards mutual understanding, cooperation for peace and the advancement of the common good."
Therefore, "Attempts to marginalize the influence of Christianity upon public life – sometimes under the pretext that its teachings are detrimental to the well-being of society – are emerging in new forms," he said this phenomenon "gives us pause to reflect."
"Christianity," Pope Benedict explained, "has much to offer on the practical and ethical level, for the Gospel never ceases to inspire men and women to place themselves at the service of their brothers and sisters.
"Few would dispute this," he said. "Yet those who fix their gaze upon Jesus of Nazareth with eyes of faith know that God offers a deeper reality which is nonetheless inseparable from the 'economy' of charity at work in this world: He offers salvation."
"As Europe listens to the story of Christianity, she hears her own. Her notions of justice, freedom and social responsibility, together with the cultural and legal institutions established to preserve these ideas and hand them on to future generations, are shaped by her Christian inheritance. Indeed, her memory of the past animates her aspirations for the future," he added.
Pope said, therefore, "Christians are obliged to join others in reminding Europe of her roots".
"It is not because these roots have long since withered," he said, "On the contrary! It is because they continue – in subtle but nonetheless fruitful ways – to supply the continent with the spiritual and moral sustenance that allows her to enter into meaningful dialogue with people from other cultures and religions," he said.
"Let us ask the Lord to implant within us a spirit of courage to share the timeless saving truths which have shaped, and will continue to shape, the social and cultural progress of this continent," he concluded.
The Pope's visit to the Czech Republic concludes on Monday.