The text of the speech by His Holiness Pope Benedict ⅩⅥ, the Sovereign Pontiff, in Westminster Hall: Mr Speaker, Thank you for your words of welcome on behalf of this distinguished gathering. As I address you, I am conscious of the privilege afforded me to speak to the British people and their representatives in Westminster Hall, a building of unique significance in the civil and political history of the people of these islands. Allow me also to express my esteem for the Parliament which has existed on this site for centuries and which has had such a profound influence on the development of participative government among the … Continue reading Religion, in other words, is not a problem for legislators to solve, but a vital contributor to the national conversation. – Pope Benedict ⅩⅥ