(ANS - Munich 6 February 2007) - This year the Salesian Province of Germany, with its provincial house in Munich, welcomed a very special guest: in Salesian Archbishop Stanislav Hoèevar. The Slovenian born chairperson of the Catholic Bishops` Conference for Serbia and Montenegro leads the Catholic minority of Serbia in difficult times. His work is marked by dialogue with Orthodox Christians. Hoèevar made it clear that his experience is that religions only understand each other if their members identify more strongly with their religion. "Only if we are authentically Christians again, can we walk the path of dialogue", he said "Otherwise we cannot communicate adequately with Islam". He pleaded for stronger discussion by Christian churches. The western world tends to individuality, the eastern Church puts the traditions in the foreground. It is important that for the purposes of deeper understanding the emphasis not be on what distinguishes us, but how Christianity can be a unifying experience. Only when unity is present can Christianity have authentic dialogue with Islam. Dialogue between east and west has "absolute priority over all priorities", pleaded the archbishop. Ecumenism must be the combined effort of all God`s people. The archbishop saw a good example in German unity: through Germany`s unity Germans have already experienced what unity`s mindset is all about.