On Monday, June 3, Pope Francis met with participants of the Interreligious Council of the Focolare Movement in the Clementino Hall. The Pope stressed that in times of conflict, “religion is often misused to stoke divisions.” Below is the English version of the Pope’s address.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
good morning!
I greet the President of the Focolare Movement. I convey my heartfelt prayers for your country in this time of suffering. I also warmly welcome all the participants of this interreligious conference. I thank the Marian Project for persevering in the journey begun by Chiara Lubich to promote unity with people of non-Christian religions who share the spirit of unity. It has been a revolutionary journey that has brought much good to the Church. It is an experience driven by the Holy Spirit and can be said to be rooted in the heart of Christ, in the hunger for love, communion and fraternity.
In fact, it is the Holy Spirit who opens the way for dialogue and encounters, which are sometimes surprising. This happened more than 50 years ago in Algeria, when an all-Muslim community following a movement was born. It also happened when Chiara Lubitsch met with leaders of different religions: Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Sikhs. This dialogue flourished over time, and your presence today is proof of this.
The basis of this experience is the love of God expressed through mutual love, listening, trust, hospitality and getting to know each other with full respect for each other’s identity. Over time, friendships and cooperation have developed as we seek together to respond to the cry of the poor, care for creation and work for peace. Throughout this journey, some of our non-Christian brothers and sisters have come to share the spirituality of Mary’s work, or some of its characteristics, and live it according to it among their own people. Together with these men and women, we go beyond dialogue and feel like brothers and sisters, sharing the dream of a more united world in harmony in diversity.
Dear friends, your testimonies are a source of joy and comfort, especially in these times of conflict, when religion is often misused to stoke divisions. In fact, interreligious dialogue “is a prerequisite for world peace and a duty not only of Christians but also of other religious communities”.The Joy of the Gospel250). So I encourage you to keep moving forward and to always be open.
May the Lord bless you all. May the Lord bless each and every one of you. The Lord is near to us all. May the Lord bless you all. Amen.
