Holy Father Pope Francis briefly met a delegation of Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and Sikhs who participated in a one-day conference in the Vatican, and another group of Buddhist monks from Thailand. The Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue organized a conference on the theme, “Dharma and Logos – Dialogue and Cooperation in a Complex Age”, in which some 200 representatives of Dharmic religions that originated in India, and Christians participated.
As reported by Vatican news, Meeting the representatives of Dharmic religions ahead of his weekly general audience, the Pontiff expressed satisfaction at the conference they attended, saying “Dialogue and cooperation are essential at a time like our own, marked by tensions, conflicts and violence.” His Holiness Pope Francis remarked that “One needs to thank God when “religious leaders actively foster a culture of encounter by offering an example of fruitful dialogue and by working together effectively in the service of life, human dignity and the care of creation.”
Holy Father Pope Francis urged Buddhists and Catholics continue to come closer, “advance in knowledge of one another and in esteem for their respective spiritual traditions, and offer the world a witness to the values of justice, peace, and the defense of human dignity.”
