Around one thousand representatives of the various religious communities   
   (Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and various Christian confessions) awaited Pope   
   Francis in the Great Hall of the BMICH. The meeting began with the Buddhist   
   chant "Pirith", followed by a Hindu blessing, a Muslim blessing and a prayer   
   by the ecumenical group.   
    Following a speech by the Buddhist monk Vigithasiri Niyangoda Thero, the Holy   
   Father gave an address in which he affirmed the Church's profound and lasting   
   respect for other religions, and reiterated that, for the sake of peace,   
   religious beliefs must never be abused to justify violence and war.   
    "I have come to Sri Lanka in the footsteps of my predecessors Popes Paul VI   
   and John Paul II to demonstrate the great love and concern which the Catholic   
   Church has for Sri Lanka. It is a particular grace for me to visit the   
   Catholic community here, to confirm them in their Christian faith, to pray   
   with them and to share their joys and sufferings. It is equally a grace to be   
   with all of you, men and women of these great religious traditions, who share   
   with us a desire for wisdom, truth and holiness.   
    "At Vatican Council II, the Catholic Church declared her deep and abiding   
   respect for other religions. She stated that she 'rejects nothing of what is   
   true and holy in these religions. She has a high regard for their manner of   
   life and conduct, their precepts and doctrines'. For my part, I wish to   
   reaffirm the Church's sincere respect for you, your traditions and beliefs".   
    He continued, "It is in this spirit of respect that the Catholic Church   
   desires to cooperate with you, and with all people of good will, in seeking   
   the welfare of all Sri Lankans. I hope that my visit will help to encourage   
   and deepen the various forms of interreligious and ecumenical cooperation   
   which have been undertaken in recent years.   
    "These praiseworthy initiatives have provided opportunities for dialogue,   
   which is essential if we are to know, understand and respect one another. But,   
   as experience has shown, for such dialogue and encounter to be effective, it   
   must be grounded in a full and forthright presentation of our respective   
   convictions. Certainly, such dialogue will accentuate how varied our beliefs,   
   traditions and practices are. But if we are honest in presenting our   
   convictions, we will be able to see more clearly what we hold in common. New   
   avenues will be opened for mutual esteem, cooperation and indeed friendship.   
    "Such positive developments in interreligious and ecumenical relations take   
   on a particular significance and urgency in Sri Lanka. For too many years the   
   men and women of this country have been victims of civil strife and violence.   
   What is needed now is healing and unity, not further conflict and division.   
   Surely the fostering of healing and unity is a noble task which is incumbent   
   upon all who have at heart the good of the nation, and indeed the whole human   
   family. It is my hope that interreligious and ecumenical cooperation will   
   demonstrate that men and women do not have to forsake their identity, whether   
   ethnic or religious, in order to live in harmony with their brothers and   
   sisters.   
    "How many ways there are for the followers of the different religions to   
   carry out this service! How many are the needs that must be tended to with the   
   healing balm of fraternal solidarity! I think in particular of the material   
   and spiritual needs of the poor, the destitute, those who yearn for a word of   
   consolation and hope. Here I think too of the many families who continue to   
   mourn the loss of their loved ones.   
    "Above all, at this moment of your nation's history, how many people of good   
   will are seeking to rebuild the moral foundations of society as a whole? May   
   the growing spirit of cooperation between the leaders of the various religious   
   communities find expression in a commitment to put reconciliation among all   
   Sri Lankans at the heart of every effort to renew society and its   
   institutions. For the sake of peace, religious beliefs must never be allowed   
   to be abused in the cause of violence and war. We must be clear and   
   unequivocal in challenging our communities to live fully the tenets of peace   
   and coexistence found in each religion, and to denounce acts of violence when   
   they are committed.   
    "Dear friends", concluded the Pope, "I thank you once again for your generous   
   welcome and your attention. May this fraternal encounter confirm all of us in   
   our efforts to live in harmony and to spread the blessings of peace".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Pope's greetings to the presidents of Doctrinal Commissions of the European   
   Episcopal Conferences   
    Vatican City, 13 January 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has sent a message to   
   greet the participants in the meeting of the presidents of the Doctrinal   
   Commissions of the European Episcopal Conferences with the Congregation for   
   the Doctrine of the Faith in Esztergom, "the religious heart of Hungary". The   
   text was read this morning, during the opening session of the meeting, which   
   will be held from 13 to 15 January.   
    "I thank Cardinal Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the   
   Doctrine of the Faith, for this timely initiative that emphasises the   
   importance of the local Episcopates, and in particular the Doctrinal   
   Commissions, in their responsibility for the unity and integrity of the faith   
   as well as its transmission to the younger generations. As I wrote in my   
   Apostolic Exhortation 'Evangelii Gaudium', resuming the teaching of the   
   dogmatic Constitution 'Lumen Gentium' of Vatican Council II, 'Episcopal   
   conferences are in a position to contribute in many and fruitful ways to the   
   concrete realisation of the collegial spirit'. I hope that your meeting will   
   contribute to enabling a collegial approach to various doctrinal and pastoral   
   difficulties that present themselves in Europe today, with the aim of   
   inspiring in the faithful a new missionary zeal and greater openness to the   
   transcendent dimension of life, without which Europe risks losing the very   
   'humanistic spirit' that it loves and defends.   
    "I commend your works to the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, model   
   for every believer, and impart my heartfelt blessing".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
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   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)