By Christopher Wells
Pope Leo XIV held a special audience on Monday for ecumenical and interreligious delegations that took part in the Solemn Mass for the Inauguration of his Petrine Ministry.
In his address, the Holy Father highlighted Pope Francis’ emphasis on universal fraternity, continuing the initiatives of previous popes, especially St John XXIII.
Pope Francis, “the Pope of Fratelli tutti, promoted both the ecumenical path and inter-religious dialogue,” Pope Leo said, “above all by cultivating interpersonal relations, in such a way that, without taking anything away from ecclesial bonds, the human trait of the encounter was always valued. May God help us to treasure his witness!”
True unity is unity in faith
Speaking first to other Christian Churches and ecclesial communities, Pope Leo XIV took note of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, emphasizing that unity among Christians “can only be unity in faith.”
He added that the pursuit of full and visible communion of all Christians is one of his priorities as Bishop of Rome.
At the same time, he recalled the close links between ecumenism and synodality, and assured the delegations of his commitment to follow Pope Francis in “promoting the synodal character of the Catholic Church.”
A common path in the spirit of human fraternity
Turning to representatives of non-Christian religious traditions, Pope Leo XIV said our “common path” can and must be understood to involve everyone, “in a spirit of human fraternity.”
Today, he said, “is the time for dialogue and building bridges.”
The Holy Father looked back again at his immediate predecessor, calling to mind “the remarkable efforts made by Pope Francis in favour of interreligious dialogue.”
Citing the Document on Human Fraternity, Pope Leo said, “Through his words and actions, opened new avenues of encounter, to promote ‘the culture of dialogue as the path; mutual collaboration as the code of conduct; reciprocal understanding as the method and standard.’”
Relations with Judaism, Islam, and other religious traditions
Following the path laid out by Vatican II’s document on interreligious relations (Nostra aetate), Pope Leo also highlighted the “spiritual heritage shared by Christians and Jews,” and emphasized the importance of theological dialogue between the communities, even in times of “conflicts and misunderstandings.”
The Pope went on to note “the growing commitment to dialogue and fraternity” that marks relations between the Catholic Church and Muslims, saying an approach based on “mutual respect and freedom of conscience” is “a solid basis for building bridges between our communities.”
Finally, addressing representatives of other traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and others, Pope Leo expressed gratitude for their contributions to peace “in a world wounded by violence and conflict.”
At the same time, he conveyed his hopes that, by working together, religious believers can help to say “no” to war, to the arms race, and to an unjust economy; and “yes” to peace, to disarmament, and to integral development.
Building a more peaceful world
Pope Leo XIV concluded his discourse by sharing his conviction that “the witness of our fraternity… will certainly contribute to building a more peaceful world, something that all men and women of good will desire in their hearts.”
And he invited the delegations to “invoke God’s blessings in our hearts,” praying that “His infinite goodness and wisdom help us to live as His children and as brothers and sisters to each other, so that hope may grow in the world.” – Vatican News
