"Once again, I hope these fundamental human rights are guaranteed everywhere to all people." With this wish Pope Benedict XVI, who received today at the Vatican the participants to the Muslim-Catholic Forum, addressed the thorny issue of freedom of conscience and religion, which is crucial in the dialogue between the two religions. "Political and religious leaders," said Benedict XVI, "must guarantee the free exercise of these rights, in the full respect of people’s conscience and religious freedom. Even today, discrimination and violence against religious people across the world, and the violent persecutions they have to suffer, are unacceptable and unjustifiable acts, and are even more regrettable and deplorable when they are accomplished in the name of God. The name of God can only be a name of peace and fraternity, of justice and love. We are called to show by our words and above all by our example, that the message of our religions is a message of harmony, of mutual understanding. This is essential, because otherwise we will undermine the credibility and the efficacy not only of our dialogue but also of our religions." ” “
