My dear brothers and sisters,
Peace be with you!

I warmly welcome you and offer you fraternal greetings. I express my appreciation for your commitment to fostering fraternity between Christians and Muslims through the Programme for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA), headquartered in Kenya. I likewise thank the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue for its devoted service, which enables the Church to advance in dialogue with followers of other religions, and to promote peace and a spirit of fraternity among all.

The Catholic Church calls for mutual understanding and respect for the followers of other religions, affirming that she “rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions,” for they “often reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men and women” (Nostra Aetate, n. 2). Indeed, every authentic journey toward unity and communion undertaken by Christians and by people of good will is the work of the Holy Spirit and requires hearts open to encounter and dialogue so as to embrace one another in genuine fraternity (cf. Unitatis Redintegratio, n. 4).

In this regard, your ongoing dialogue with the Dicastery is a positive sign, calling Christians, guided by Christ’s love, to foster communion and deepen our commitment to Christian-Muslim cooperation for the sake of the common good. Through such efforts, peace, justice and hope will increasingly flourish in African societies and beyond. I likewise trust that these encounters will bear fruit through the sharing of grassroots initiatives to promote social friendship, the strengthening of partnerships, and a common discernment of those areas requiring urgent action.

In a world increasingly marked by religious radicalisation, division, and conflict, your common witness shows that it is possible to live and work together in peace and harmony, despite cultural and religious differences. As I said to the Heads and Representatives of World Religions on the sixtieth anniversary of Nostra Aetate, we bear a great responsibility “to help our people to break free from the chains of prejudice, anger and hatred; to help them rise above egoism and self-centeredness; to help them overcome the greed that destroys both the human spirit and the earth. In this way, we can lead our people to become prophets of our time — voices that denounce violence and injustice, heal division, and proclaim peace for all our brothers and sisters (Address, 28 October 2025).

With these thoughts, and entrusting your initiatives to divine providence, I invoke upon you abundant blessings, that you may be artisans of peace, witnesses of hope, and builders of true fraternity.

It’s a pleasure to be with you this morning. God bless you all!