Vatican City, 8 January 2015 (VIS) –
This morning the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
published the following declaration:
“As we reach the end of the meeting
in Rome of the four Imams of France, who attended yesterday’s
general audience along with the delegation from the French Episcopal
Conference, the participants, shocked by the heinous attack on 7
January 2015 on the offices of the publication “Charlie Hebdo”,
wish once more to echo the words pronounced by Pope yesterday and
this morning, denouncing this cruelty and blind violence. Like him,
we invite believers to show through friendship and prayer their human
and spiritual solidarity towards the victims and their families.
In these circumstances, it should be
noted that, without freedom of speech, the world is in danger: it is
imperative to oppose hate and every form of violence that destroys
human life, violates the dignity of the person and radically
undermines the foundation of peaceful co-existence between persons
and peoples, notwithstanding differences of nationality, religion and
culture.
Religious leaders are called upon to
further promote a “culture of peace and hope” able to conquer
fear and to build bridges between people.
Considering the impact of the media,
their leaders are invited to offer information that is respectful of
religions, their followers and their practices, thus favouring a
culture of encounter.
Interreligious dialogue remains the
only path to follow together to dissipate prejudice”.
The communique is signed by Cardinal
Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for
Interreligious Dialogue, Bishop Michel Dubost of Evry-Corbeil et
Essonnes, president of the Council for Interreligious Relations of
the Bishops' Conference of France, the Imams Tareq Oubrou, Azzedine
Cami, Mohammed Moussaoui, Djelloul Seddiki and Fr. Roucou, director
of the National Service for Relations with Islam, France.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment