Pope Ben again claims non-Catholic churches are not proper

New document belittles other churches as in earlier document
In July 2007, Pope Ben authorised the issue of a 16-page document by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in which he approved the wider use of the Mass in Latin, whereas the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) had phased out Latin Mass, allowed folk guitar at Mass instead of Gregorian chants, and effectively stopped looking at Jews, Muslims, and Christians of other denominations as heretics.
In this document, the Pope declared that orthodox churches are defective and Protestant denominations aren’t true churches. 

These views are very much in line with those in a turgid document called " Dominus Jesus: The Unicity and Salvific Universality of Jesus Christ & the Church" (Sept 2000), issued by the Congregation of the doctrine of the Faith headed by the pope when he was Cardian;l Radzinger. [Note the pompous title - can this be translated in non-European languages?]
The document insisted that those of other faiths are in a "gravely deficient situation" compared to Christians who alone "have the fullness of the means of salvation".
The document claimed that:
 -  the sacred writings of other religions may "maintain a life-relationship with God" but only the Bible texts are "inspired".
- prayers and rituals of other religions do not have a 'divine origin' and 'some superstitions or other errors' represent 'an obstacle to salvation'.
- Catholicism is superior to Protestant Christianity and implied that Protestant churches were defective in some way.

So the Pope hasn't changed his thinking over the years. In Sept 2006, the Pope’s address at University of Regensburg associated Islam with violence, creating quite a storm among Muslims round the world.

Protests in India
Times News Network (14 Jul 07) reported protests against the Pope’s observations across India.
Mumbai-based Jesuit theologian Julian Saldanha, a supporter of the Second Vatican Council, says, "Stating that other Christian denominations were not truly churches is unnecessarily provocative. The Catholic claim that it continued the tradition of Christ and his apostles is strong, but many elements of tradition are also found in other churches."

KG Daniel, Bishop of East Kerala Diocese of the Church of South India said: "To say that Catholic Church is the only true church would mean it doesn’t need any reform, which is unacceptable."
Orthodox theologian and member of the World Council of Churches Father KM George said: "Since many years now, the Catholic Church has been engaged in an ecumenical dialogue with other Christian churches. The Pope’s position is a setback to the dialogue process".
Church of North India (CNI) general secretary Enos Pradhan added, "CNI, which is autonomous, expresses shock at the Pope’s observations. We don’t owe allegiance to the Pope. All churches are the body of Christ. We are all guided by his teachings; what the Pope has said is a great blow to the unity movement within the churches."

Archbishop Oswald Gracias of Mumbai said, "I understand the reaction and would ask people to go deeply into the document. The fact is it is positively worded. It calls for dialogue and not increasing differences. The call for Latin Mass is because the people have themselves been clamouring for it."

Archbishop of Delhi Rev Vincent M Concessao said: "There is no difference between Catholic and Orthodox churches except some of the rites. If they (other churches) are critical, it isn’t helpful. But our respect for them does not diminish."

Guardian columnist berates the Pope
Simon Jenkins (Friday July 13, 2007 The Guardian) called a theological surrealist.
"When he dresses up at the altar, gestures, chants and pretends to chew the body of Christ, he is doing what the tribes in the Borneo jungle have done for centuries past. This joker in Rome is claiming supremacy via the greatest con in Europe's intellectual history, the 1870 Vatican council's invention of papal infallibility. Listen, Pope, I am inclined to say, two can play at infallibility. You are losing so many games these days that you have to keep moving the goalposts at your Lateran and Vatican councils.

"The Pope drew a distinction between the Orthodox churches and Protestants who lack a "sacramental priesthood ... and a Eucharistic Mystery", and whom he clearly regards as little short of pagan. He has misunderstood the word 'church', which is ecclesia (Latin) from the Greek for assembly. This is invariably translated as a gathering or congregation of Christians, not just of those obedient to St Peter's. There is no textual justification for Benedict's exclusivity. It recalls the megalomania of Boniface VIII, who made such outrageous claims of supremacy early in the 14th century. The Pope is merely redefining the word to suit his position."