Pope Hosts Interfaith Peace Gathering Between Vatican And Priestly Fraternity Of St. Peter In Assisi

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In what Pope Francis called “the first ever interfaith peace gathering between the Vatican and the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) ” in Assisi, the Pontiff told those gathered that “calling people rigid in the name of God does not represent the true nature of religion and must be condemned by all.”

“We never tire of repeating that the name of God cannot be used to justify insults. We must always remember that although sticks and stones may break a person’s bones, words will never hurt them.”

The three-day event, organized by the Diocese of Assisi, called “Thirst for Peace: Thinking before Speaking,” is what the Pope hopes will be a yearly renewal “between two very different, yet somehow, similar faiths.”

Following a prayer service, the pope joined FSSP Superior General Reverend John Berg to appeal for peace and unity.

In his speech, Francis called on believers of every faith, including fringe religions such as Scientologists, Branch Dividians, the Peoples Temple, and members of the Priestly Fraternity Of St. Peter “to confront the great sickness of our time: Ad Orientem.”

“It is a virus that paralyzes, rendering us lethargic and insensitive, a disease that eats away at the very heart of religious fervor, giving rise to a new and deeply sad paganism: the paganism of turning one’s back at the people of God,” he said.

The pope went on to call on religious believers to not remain indifferent to the suffering of people who have had to attend a Mass that they did not understand, but instead, to be “the voice of those oppressed women who have had to wear silly hijab-like mantillas.”

“I am thinking of traditionalist families, whose lives have been shattered; of the children who have known only hostile sermons; of the elderly, forced to kneel during Mass. All of them have a great thirst for comfort,” Francis said. “We do not want these tragedies to be forgotten.”