The pontiff told a delegation from the Archdiocese of Cologne that dialogue \u201cstrengthens communion\u201d and \u201cserves the cause of peace.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pope Leo XIV said Thursday that the Church is called to reach all peoples not by imposing itself but by bearing witness to the truth in charity.<\/p>\n
In an April 30 audience with members of the Diocesan Office for the Universal Church and Dialogue of the Archdiocese of Cologne, the pope reflected on the universality of the Church and the importance of dialogue.<\/p>\n
The pope recalled that, \u201cin light of Christ\u2019s resurrection, the Church recognizes herself as being sent to all peoples \u2014 not by imposing herself but by bearing witness to the truth in charity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDialogue, in turn, strengthens communion, opens paths of understanding, and serves the cause of peace,\u201d he said, adding that \u201cChrist draws all things to himself and makes the Church a sign of unity and hope for the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leo addressed the delegation on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of Weltkirche & Dialog, today known as the Diocesan Office for the Universal Church and Dialogue.<\/p>\n
Turning to the German archdiocese, the pope highlighted its long-standing openness to encounter, mutual exchange, and dialogue among peoples and cultures. In particular, he recalled that in 1954, under Cardinal Josef Frings and Vicar General Father Josef Teusch, the Archdiocese of Cologne established a partnership with the Archdiocese of Tokyo \u2014 \u201cthe first of its kind in Germany.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pope said the archdiocese\u2019s commitment to a truly universal Church, \u201ccalled to solidarity beyond the confines of Europe and sustained through a culture of dialogue,\u201d remains at the heart of the office\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n
Leo also praised the archdiocese\u2019s charitable work in regions affected by famine, flooding, war, and other crises as well as its relationships of support with churches in more than 100 countries, with particular attention to the Middle East and the Eastern Churches.<\/p>\n
The pope also noted the scholarships for priestly formation and assistance to elderly priests offered by the Archdiocese of Cologne.<\/p>\n
\u201cI might add here that when I was bishop in Per\u00f9, in Chiclayo, the Archdiocese of Cologne was also very supportive of a number of different initiatives, including helping purchase oxygen-producing machines, which saved the lives of many people,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd the people today are still grateful for that support.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pope expressed gratitude for the group\u2019s initiatives, saying that through their service \u201cthe universal dimension of the Church is made visible and concrete, fostering solidarity, strengthening bonds of unity, and bearing witness to the Gospel of peace in a world so often marked by division and distress.\u201d<\/p>\n
Such witness, Leo said, is \u201call the more necessary today,\u201d especially as many Christians have been forced to leave their homelands because of war, violence, and poverty.<\/p>\n
\u201cI therefore encourage you to persevere in this mission of charity, so that they may still experience the closeness of the universal Church,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The pope asked the delegation in a particular way to continue supporting the presence of Christians in the Middle East \u201cin order to ensure that these venerable traditions of the Eastern Churches are preserved, safeguarded, and more widely known.\u201d<\/p>\n
This story\u00a0was first published\u00a0by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.<\/p>\n