The bishops have called for a renewed global commitment to protect freedom of religion and to stop the “brutal persecution” of minorities.
In a joint statement this week the bishops said the “denial of the freedom of conscience and religion” is a “truly global crisis” which had led to “violent conflict, loss of life, forced displacement of populations, and the abduction and exploitation of women and children”.
“We have witnessed courageous examples of people willing to pay the ultimate price for their faith. The international community has a moral obligation to defend them, underpinned by the commitments made in the UN Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” the bishops said.
“In Europe we can contribute to global peace-building efforts by ensuring that our domestic policy and international relations are models of best practice in their respect for freedom of conscience and religion.
“This requires an approach that goes beyond tolerance, actively embracing the many ways in which religious diversity and multiculturalism enrich our societies.”
The bishops joined with Pope Francis in his prayers for an end to violent conflict and the “brutal persecution” of minorities, which the Pontiff accused the world of trying to hide.
In his Sunday Angelus address Pope Francis prayed for the victims and families affected by terrorist suicide bomb attacks against two Christian churches during Sunday service in the city of Lahore in Pakistan, and that “persecution against Christians – which the world tries to hide – will end, and that there will be peace”.
The bishops also offered prayers for “those who have been taken hostage, those who have been forced to flee their homes, and all families who have lost loved ones”. “We pray for an end to this suffering and a renewed global commitment to freedom of conscience and religion,” the statement said.