By Junno Arocho Esteves

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In his first video prayer message of the year, Pope Francis asked people to join him in praying that interreligious dialogue lead to “peace and justice.”

The video message was part of a prayer initiative coordinated by the international Apostleship of Prayer, a Jesuit-run outreach that has given Catholics the pope’s monthly prayer intentions since 1890.

In the video, the pope called for dialogue among religions and asked that people “not stop praying for it and collaborating with those who think differently.”

“Many think differently, feel differently, they seek God or meet God in different ways. In this crowd, in this range of religions, there is only one certainty we have for all: We are all children of God,” the pope said.

Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim and Catholic religious leaders were also featured in the video, first declaring their personal beliefs followed by each one declaring: “I believe in love.”

“I hope you will spread my prayer request this month,” the pope said. “That sincere dialogue among men and women of different faiths may produce the fruits of peace and justice. I trust in your prayers.”

Pope Francis will deliver his monthly prayer intentions on video over social media in Spanish with subtitles in 10 languages throughout the Holy Year of Mercy.

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Editors: The video can be viewed at http://thepopevideo.org/en/video/interreligious-dialogue.html.

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