Vatican
City, 30 September 2013 (VIS) – Today in the apostolic palace the
Holy Father received in audience participants in the international
meeting for peace organised by the St. Egidio Community. The meeting,
held in Rome from 29 September to 1 October, is entitled “Courage
and Hope: religions and cultures in dialogue”. Francis mentioned
John Paul II's invitation in Assisi to religious leaders to pray for
peace not one against the other, but rather alongside each other, and
praised the St. Egidio Community for continuing along this path and
ensuring that this did not remain an isolated event. “You have
gained pace”, he said, “with the participation of important
figures from all religions and from lay representatives and
humanists”.
The
Pope underlined that “there is no religious justification for
violence”, and, as emphasised by Benedict XVI two years ago, “it
is necessary to eliminate every form of violence motivated by
religion, and to keep vigil together to ensure that the world no
longer falls prey to the violence inherent in every plan for
civilisation that is based on a 'no' to God”.
The
Pope emphasised that peace is the responsibility of all, and that a
religious leader is a man of peace, because “the commandment of
peace is inscribed in the depths of religious traditions”. He also
remarked that “Peace requires tenacious, patient, strong,
intelligent dialogue, for which nothing is lost. Dialogue can win
over war. Dialogue enables people of different generations, who often
ignore each other, to live together; it enables the co-existence of
citizens of different ethnic origins, of different convictions.
Dialogue is the way of peace”.
The
Pope described religious leaders as “dialoguers”, working to
build peace; not as intermediaries seeking benefit, but rather as
authentic mediators with peace as their ultimate goal. In conclusion,
he encouraged them to continue their work, as “this courage of
peace gives the courage of hope to the world”.
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