Washington D.C., Apr 17, 2008 / 17:41 pm
In a meeting with interfaith leaders at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C on Thursday evening, Pope Benedict XVI praised American traditions of religious freedom and religious involvement in public life. He also encouraged inter-faith cooperation and dialogue as a way of both building mutual understanding and the strengthening society. However, the Pope also said that such cooperation and dialogue should not obscure the real differences between religious faiths.
In his address, Pope Benedict lauded what he called the United States’ “long history of cooperation” between religious faiths. As examples of such cooperation, he cited interreligious prayer services at Thanksgiving, joint charitable action, and speaking with a “shared voice” on public issues. These activities, the Pope said, brought members of different religions together to “enhance mutual understanding and promote the common good.”
“I encourage all religious groups in America to persevere in their collaboration and thus enrich public life with the spiritual values that motivate your action in the world,” Pope Benedict said.
The Holy Father cited the mission statement of the meeting’s venue, the Pope John Paul II Center, which offers a Christian voice in the “human search for meaning and purpose in life.” He said the center’s mission recalls the American conviction that “all people should be free to pursue happiness in a way consonant with their nature as creatures endowed with reason and free will.”