Overview
- Pope Leo XIV met at the Vatican with the European Parliament’s Working Group on Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue on Sept. 29.
- He called for a “healthy secularism” that affirms religion’s public value while maintaining a clear distinction from the political sphere.
- The pope encouraged interreligious engagement rooted in Gospel values, emphasizing openness, listening, human dignity, and the communal nature of society.
- He cited Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer, and Alcide De Gasperi as practical examples of faith-informed public service within Europe’s civic project.
- Crux framed the message as echoing Benedict XVI’s teaching on sana laicità and reported that the address was delivered in English.