Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue

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The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is a dicastery of the Roman Curia, erected by Pope Paul VI on 19 May 1964 as the Secretariat for Non-Christians, and renamed by Pope John Paul II on 28 June 1988.

Its current President is Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran, who assumed his position on 1 September 2007.

Promotion of dialogue

The PCID is the central office of the Catholic Church for promoting interreligious dialogue in accordance with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, in particular the declaration Nostra Aetate. It has the following responsibilities:

1. to promote mutual understanding, respect and collaboration between Catholics and the followers of others religious traditions;
2. to encourage the study of religions;
3. to promote the formation of persons dedicated to dialogue.

The Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims is affiliated with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and the President of the Council is President also of that Pontifical Commission. Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata is Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and Vice-President of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims. The Secretary of the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims is Monsignor Khaled Akashed. The Undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is Monsignor Andrew Thanya-Anan Vissanu.

The entirely separate Pontifical Commission of the Holy See for Religious Relations with the Jews reports to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and is headed by the Cardinal President of that Pontifical Council, Kurt Koch.

Current activities

The activities of the Council today seem focused on communicating on common values and interests to other religious believers and spiritual leaders. It welcomes visitors to Rome, it visits others, runs meetings and publishes "a bulletin, called "Pro Dialogo" three times a year, containing "significant Church texts on dialogue, articles, and news of dialogue activities throughout the world" and an Interreligious Dialogue Directory.

Importance of interfaith issues

On 11 March 2006, Pope Benedict XVI placed the PCID under the leadership of the Cardinal President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Paul Poupard. However, as this was seen as reducing the status of interfaith affairs, Pope Benedict again gave the Council its own President in 2007.

Structure

It consists of a decision-making body, an advisory body and executive body.

Presidents of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue

• Paolo Cardinal Marella (19 May 1964 - 26 Feb 1973)
• Sergio Cardinal Pignedoli (6 Mar 1973 - 15 Jun 1980)
• Jean Jadot (27 Jun 1980 - 8 Apr 1984 )
• Francis Cardinal Arinze (8 Apr 1984 - 1 Oct 2002)
• Michael L. Fitzgerald (1 Oct 2002 - 15 Feb 2006)
• Paul Cardinal Poupard (11 Mar 2006 - 1 September 2007)
• Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran (1 September 2007 -)

External links

• Official history of the PCID
• Official vatican.va web page
• Giga-Catholic Information
• Catholic-hierarchy.org commentary
• Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews