The chair of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace will brief bishops and public officials on the details of a dialogue initiated by a delegation from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops during a trip to Iran last March.
The Supreme Council of the Seminary Teachers of Qom, the pre-eminent center of religious scholarship in Iran, hosted the dialogue, which sought to promote greater understanding and peace between Americans and Iranians. Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ International Justice and Peace committee, led the delegation.
“We had a productive religious and moral dialogue that we hope will promote understanding between the peoples of Iran and the United States. We are committed to continuing and deepening these discussions in the future in order to contribute to a more just and peaceful world,” said Bishop Pates. “As Pope Francis has said, dialogue is the key to discovering truth and avoiding misunderstanding.”
Bishop Pates plans to meet with the Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, and officials in Congress, the State Department and the administration this week to share what the delegation learned.
Over a four-day period, the delegation engaged in discussions with prominent Ayatollahs and scholars in Qom.
USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace developed this project over the course of a year and consulted with church and policy experts and public officials. The exchanges focused on the religious and moral dimensions of key public concerns. The project was made possible through the support of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland and the hospitality of the hosts in Iran.
