The Focolare Movement organised a conference focused on interreligious dialogue in Rome, where Pope Francis greeted participants of the event in an audience in the Apostolic Palace.
He praised the movement’s work of building “unity with people of non-Christian religions” and encouraged them to continue to foster dialogue.
“Dear friends, your witness is a source of joy and a source of consolation, especially in this time of conflict, when religion is often misused in order to fuel division,” he said.
“Indeed, interreligious dialogue is a necessary condition for peace in the world, and so it is a duty for Christians as well as other religious communities.”
The pope expressed his prayers for the president of the Focolare Movement’s home country of Israel. The group was founded in 1943 by an Italian school teacher.