BRIDGES OF UNDERSTANDING ACROSS RELIGIOUS BOUNDARIES

VATICAN CITY, 7 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received sixty participants in the tenth plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, which is presided by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran. The theme of the assembly has been: "Dialogue 'in veritate et caritate'. Pastoral orientations".

  Addressing them in English, the Holy Father said: "I am happy to learn that during these days you have sought to arrive at a deeper understanding of the Catholic Church's approach to people of other religious traditions. You have considered the broader purpose of dialogue - to discover the truth - and the motivation for it, which is charity, in obedience to the divine mission entrusted to the Church by our Lord Jesus Christ".

  "The Church continues to reach out to followers of different religions", he explained. "In this way she gives expression to that desire for encounter and collaboration in truth and freedom. In the words of my venerable predecessor, Pope Paul VI, the Church's principal responsibility is service to the Truth - 'truth about God, truth about man and his hidden destiny, truth about the world, truth which we discover in the Word of God'".

  "It is the love of Christ which impels the Church to reach out to every human being without distinction, beyond the borders of the visible Church. The source of the Church's mission is Divine Love. ... Thus, it is love that urges every believer to listen to the other and seek areas of collaboration".

  Love "encourages Christian partners in dialogue with the followers of other religions to propose, but not impose, faith in Christ Who is 'the way, the truth, and the life'. ... The Christian faith has shown us that 'truth, justice and love are not simply ideals, but enormously weighty realities'. For the Church, 'charity is not a kind of welfare activity which could equally well be left to others, but is a part of her nature, an indispensable expression of her very being'".

  The Holy Father pointed out that "the great proliferation of inter-religious meetings around the world today calls for discernment. ... Since Vatican Council II, attention has been focused on the spiritual elements which different religious traditions have in common. In many ways, this has helped to build bridges of understanding across religious boundaries".

  He then went on to consider "some of the issues of practical concern in inter-religious relations" examined during the plenary assembly, such as: "the identity of the partners in dialogue, religious education in schools, conversion, proselytism, reciprocity, religious freedom, and the role of religious leaders in society. These are important issues", he said, "to which religious leaders living and working in pluralistic societies must pay close attention".

  Benedict XVI also underlined the need for the promoters of inter-religious dialogue "to be well formed in their own beliefs and well informed about those of others", highlighting how "inter-religious collaboration provides opportunities to express the highest ideals of each religious tradition".

  He concluded: " Helping the sick, bringing relief to the victims of natural disasters or violence, caring for the aged and the poor: these are some of the areas in which people of different religions collaborate. I encourage all those who are inspired by the teaching of their religions to help the suffering members of society".
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