Pope Francis and French President discuss shared concerns
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met with French President Frannçois Hollande on Friday
morning to discuss shared concerns and the good relations that exist between France
and the Holy See. Following the papal audience, the President also held talks with
Secretary of State, Archbishop Pietro Parolin and with the Vatican’s ‘foreign minister’
or Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.
A statement
from the Vatican press office following the papal audience said the 'cordial 'talks
focused on 'the contribution that religion makes to the common good', as well as the
commitment of both France and the Holy See to maintain dialogue and constructive cooperation
on questions of common interest. In the context of the defense and promotion of human
dignity, the two men discussed contemporary concerns such as the family, bioethical
issues, the respect for religious communities and the protection of places of worship.
According
to the statement, the Pope and the President also discussed issues of international
concern, including the problems of poverty and development, migration and protection
of the environment. They spoke especially about conflict in the Middle East and certain
regions of Africa, expressing the hope that in these different countries , peaceful
coexistence can be restored through dialogue and the participation of all members
of society, with full respect for the rights of all people, in particular the ethnic
and religious minorities.