Pope Leo urges Christians, Muslims to pursue mutual understanding for common good

Catholic pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, yesterday, received a delegation from the Programme for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA) at the Vatican and urged Christians and Muslims to pursue mutual understanding, respect and cooperation for the sake of peace and the common good.

This is contained in a statement by the Holy See’s press office.

Welcoming the delegation, which is headquartered in Kenya, the Pope praised its work fostering fraternity between the two faiths.

He also thanked the Dicastery for inter religious dialogue and for supporting the church’s engagement with other religions.

“The Catholic Church calls for mutual understanding and respect for the followers of other religions, affirming that she ‘rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions,’ for they ‘often reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men and women’ (Nostra Aetate, n. 2),” the pope said, quoting the Second Vatican Council declaration.

He described authentic dialogue between Christians and Muslims as “the work of the Holy Spirit” that requires “hearts open to encounter and dialogue so as to embrace one another in genuine fraternity.”

Such efforts, he added, help peace, justice and hope flourish in African societies and beyond.

The pope highlighted the delegation’s ongoing dialogue with the Dicastery as a positive sign, encouraging grassroots initiatives, stronger partnerships and joint action on urgent issues.

He noted that in a world marked by religious radicalisation, division and conflict, the groups’ common witness demonstrates that people of different faiths could live and work together in peace and harmony.

Quoting his own address to world religious leaders on the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate last October, Pope Leo reminded the delegation of their shared responsibility “to help our people to break free from the chains of prejudice, anger and hatred to become prophets of our time, voices that denounce violence and injustice, heal division and proclaim peace for all our brothers and sisters.”

He concluded with an invitation for those present to go forward as artisans of peace, witnesses of hope and builders of true fraternity.