‘Peace can only come from God,’ Pope Leo says at conference on interreligious dialogue

Pope Leo sent a message Sept. 9 to the Bangladesh Conference on Interreligious Dialogue and Harmony, encouraging participants to promote peace over division through the love of God.

“I am pleased to offer greetings of friendship to the participants in the interreligious meeting in Bangladesh,” Pope Leo wrote in his message. “Above all, I wish you the peace that can only come from God — one that is ‘unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering,’ and ‘always seeks charity, that always seeks to be close, above all, to those who are suffering.’”

The Conference on Interreligious Dialogue and Harmony is being held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sept. 6-12. On the day of the Pope’s message, it drew nearly 1,000 attendees, according to Radio Veritas Asia. It included representatives from Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity.

Archbishop Kevin Randall, apostolic nuncio to Bangladesh, read the Pope’s written message, according to Radio Veritas Asia.

Pope Leo expressed his appreciation of the conference’s theme, “Promoting a Culture of Harmony between Brothers and Sisters.”

“This theme reflects the spirit of fraternal openness that people of goodwill seek to foster with members of other religious traditions,” he wrote. “It arises, moreover, from the conviction that our human community is truly one — in origin and in destiny under God.”

In his address, the Holy Father stressed that people of all religions must work together for peace. He said that communication can help foster peace.

“We know from painful moments in history that when the culture of harmony is neglected, weeds can choke out peace,” Pope Leo wrote. “Suspicions take root; stereotypes harden; extremists exploit fears to sow division. Together, as companions in interreligious dialogue, we are like gardeners tending this field of fraternity, helping to keep dialogue fertile and to clear away the weeds of prejudice.”

The Pope said that the conference serves as a witness to the world that friendship and dialogue are possible across differences that might otherwise divide people.

“Where others have sown distrust, we choose trust; where others might foster fear, we strive for understanding; where others view differences as barriers, we recognize them as avenues of mutual enrichment,” he wrote.

The Holy Father closed his address by reaffirming the Catholic Church’s dedication to interreligious dialogue and pursuit of peace and assured all participants of his prayers.

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