Among the phrases that captured people’s attention during the Pope’s visit to Mexico was a phrase ad-libbed during his homily in Ecatepec. Lifting his gaze from the text in front of him, lifting his right hand to his forehead, Pope Francis exclaimed “let’s get this in our heads, you cannot dialogue with the devil.”   ...read more

Join us in prayer for the intentions entrusted to us by Pope Francis. For November 2015, we join the Holy Father in praying for: Dialogue – That we may be open to personal encounter and dialogue with all, even those whose convictions differ from our own. Pastors – That pastors of the Church, with profound love for their flocks, may accompany ...read more

There’s this great scene early in the Wizard of Oz where Dorothy unsuccessfully tries to relate to her family about an incident involving her dog Toto. After she’s brushed off with the admonishment “find yourself a place where you won’t get into any trouble” Dorothy muses to her dog Toto, “‘Some place where there isn’t ...read more

Over the weekend, Pope Francis addressed the Pontifical Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies. Speaking on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, the Holy Father focused on the concept of dialogue, lauding the academy for their work in furthering Christian-Islamic relations. He told them “the most effective antidote against all forms of violence is education ...read more

CNS Photo: Pope Francis meets with Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, during a private audience in the pontiff’s library at the Vatican May 10, 2013 By Sebastian Gomes Last week I was at a parish in Vancouver giving a talk on Pope John XXIII in preparation for his canonization ...read more

Every year bishops representing North America and Europe make a special visit to the Holy Land to meet with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Known as the Holy Land Coordination, the bishops spend the week visiting Christians in and around Jerusalem. They get to see how the average parish works, how Christians live alongside Jews ...read more

What’s the difference between saying, ‘We come to pray together’ and ‘We come together to pray’? What is the difference between proselytizing, evangelizing and dialogue? Do these actions mutually exclude each other? These are some of the questions most people have when it comes to interfaith dialogue. It quickly becomes about fine distinctions and nuanced ...read more

Pope Benedict began Day 2 of his apostolic journey in Benin when he met with President Yani Bono, diplomatic corp members and those of the government. This all took place in the Presidential Palace in Cotonou. In his address, the Holy Father used the symbol of a hand in speaking about religious diversity in the ...read more

Here is Pope Benedict XVI’s speech in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi, Italy, before representatives of the world’s religions and non-believers: Dear Brothers and Sisters, Distinguished Heads and Representatives of Churches, Ecclesial Communities and World Religions, Dear Friends, Twenty-five years have passed since Blessed Pope John Paul II first invited representatives ...read more

A few weeks ago, my mixed feelings about multi-faith advocacy were brought to the surface. Before I confess my misgivings, I must tell you that I’m especially indebted to people of other religions and denominations. When I was an agnostic high school student, a Bahá’í friend stoked my interest in God by inviting me to ...read more