This was Pope Francis' farewell to various religious leaders at a meeting during his trip to Sri Lanka and the Philippines in 2013.
POPE FRANCIS
Religious beliefs must never be allowed to be abused in the cause of violence and war. We must be clear and unequivocal in challenging our communities to live fully the tenets of peace and coexistence found in each religion, and to denounce acts of violence when they are committed.
Despite the fact that more than 70% of the population of the Philippines is Catholic, they are still exposed to terrorism by the Islamic State, such as the one that happened on December 3.
The Catholic community in Marawi suffered an attack when a bomb exploded in the gymnasium of a university where Mass was being celebrated. It killed at least four people and injured dozens. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on Telegram.
The Philippine President condemned the attack and called it a “heinous act perpetrated by foreign terrorists.” He added that “extremists who exercise violence against the innocent will always be considered enemies of society.”
The Vatican joined the voices calling for peace in the Philippines. In a statement, Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin expressed the Pope's sorrow at the suffering of the victims.
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