Religious Intolerance “shameful”, Catholic Archbishop in Mozambique Laments, Urges “culture of peace”

Nampula, 21 May, 2024 / 8:31 PM

Archbishop Inácio Saúre of Mozambique’s Catholic Archdiocese Nampula has condemned violence due to religious differences, and termed it “shameful”. 

In his Sunday, May 19 homily at Immaculate Heart of Mary Anchilo Parish of his Metropolitan See, Archbishop Saúre advocated for peaceful coexistence among people of different faith practices.

“It's shameful that people kill each other because of their faith in God,” he said, and appealed, “We must work for the unity of the Son of God, regardless of the differences between religions.”

To illustrate religious intolerance, the Mozambican Catholic Archbishop recounted episodes of people, who have been murdered for being identified as members of a particular religion by their names and condemned such practices as constituting a “very serious sin”.

“You can't hate anyone because they are of another religion,” the Mozambican-born member of the Institute of Consolata Missionaries (IMC), who started his Episcopal Ministry in May 2011 as Bishop of Mozambique’s Tete Diocese emphasized.

He advocated for religious tolerance, saying, “Faith, believing in God, is not just for Catholics. There are others too who believe in God in other ways, and we respect them; we don't kill them; we owe them love.”  

“Dialogue with our brothers and sisters of other religions here in the Archdiocese must be strong, so that there is never any violence based on religion,” Archbishop Saúre appealed during his homily on May 19, the Solemnity of Pentecost.

Reflecting on the Solemnity, the Local Ordinary of Nampula Archdiocese emphasized the need to put the gifts of the Holy Spirit “at the service of all.”

“Why do divisions, disputes, jealousies and envy arise in our Christian communities?” the Mozambican Catholic Archbishop posed. Because, he lamented in response, the “Holy Spirit isn't very present in that community.” 

The 64-year-old Catholic Archbishop called upon all Christians to get actively involved in proclaiming the Gospel, fostering Christ’s mission.