“It is horrible that at times, to justify such barbarism, the name of a religion or the name of God himself is invoked. May there be clear condemnation of these iniquitous attitudes that profane the name of God and sully the religious quest of mankind”. Pope Francis said this as he met with the representatives of various religions who were received in an interreligious audience in the Clementine Hall this morning in the framework of the Jubilee of Mercy. The Pope delivered a long address that ended with an appeal to the religious leaders present: “May we reject the aimless paths of disagreement and closed-mindedness. May it never happen again that the religions, because of the conduct of some of their followers, convey a distorted message, out of tune with that of mercy. Sadly, not a day passes that we do not hear of acts of violence, conflict, kidnapping, terrorist attacks, killings and destruction”. “May there instead be fostered everywhere the peaceful encounter of believers and genuine religious freedom. Here, our responsibility before God, humanity and the future is great; it calls for unremitting effort, without dissimulation. It is a call that challenges us, a path to be taken together, for the good of all, and with hope. May the religions be wombs of life, bearing the merciful love of God to a wounded and needy humanity; may they be doors of hope helping to penetrate the walls erected by pride and fear”. The audience took place a few days ahead of the conclusion of the Jubilee of Mercy. The Pope indicated religious leaders the “way” that the Church desires to adopt, “a truly merciful way of life – he said – marked by disinterested love, fraternal service and sincere sharing”. And he went on to say: “The religions are likewise called to this way of life, in order to be, particularly in our own day, messengers of peace and builders of communion, and to proclaim, in opposition to all those who sow conflict, division and intolerance, that ours is a time of fraternity”.