Pope Francis says Catholic Church respects all religions

   
Pope Francis called on Wednesday for “friendship and respect” among all religions during a meeting with representatives of major world religions in the Vatican.            

"The Roman Catholic Church will promote friendship and respect between men and women of different religions,” the pope said.              

“We can do a lot for the good of people who are poor, who are weak, who suffer… and to promote reconciliation and peace,” the pope added.              

Representatives of Orthodox Christianity, Judaism and Islam were attended the meeting, where              

Latin America’s first pontiff said they should be united against “one of the most dangerous dangers of this period of time."                          

Pope Francis also stated that he felt “close” to the people who “do not recognize themselves in any religion but are searching for a truth, for goodness and for beauty, which is God.”  

Addressing religious community leaders, he said: “I appreciate very much your presence and I see in it a sign of mutual respect and cooperation for the benefit of humanity.”                

Francis also assured Christians from other denominations of his “firm will to continue with the path of ecumenical dialogue”.                        

He also told Jewish leaders he wanted to continue “a fraternal dialogue” that began with the reformist Second Vatican Council of the 1960s.