The world's religions play a key role in bringing peace and harmony to a troubled world, Pope Benedict XVI told religious and political leaders attending the 25th International Meeting for Peace.
If people of different cultures and generations are to truly live as brothers and sisters of the same human family, then they "need to be inspired and supported by the common foundation of spiritual and ethical values," said a message, written on behalf of the pontiff, by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state.
The papal message was read during Mass Oct. 3, the opening day of the three-day world peace meeting.
The interreligious meeting, organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio -- a Rome-based lay movement -- and the Archdiocese of Barcelona, focused on the theme: "Living together in a time of crisis: Family of peoples, family of God."
More than 350 political and religious leaders from all over the world attended the meeting, including prominent Catholic cardinals and bishops and representatives from the Anglican and Protestant communities and 11 different Orthodox churches. Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu and other leaders participated along with high-level political representatives from dozens of nations.
"In this difficult time of crisis and conflict, worsened by the increasing extent of globalization, religions are called to realize their special vocation of service to peace and coexistence," the papal message said.
The pope called on religious believers to commit to the power of prayer.
"In prayer we can find new spiritual energies that prevent us from being conquered by difficulties and by the snares of evil, from losing heart in the necessary path of dialogue," said the papal message.
The founder of the Community of Sant'Egidio, Andrea Riccardi, told participants Oct. 3 that the world's religions need to become the "spiritual pillars" upon which a world as human family is built.
Unfortunately, the last decade saw war being used as a weapon to defend peace and security, and the use of dialogue to resolve problems strongly criticized, he said.
Now is a time for people of religious faith to give back a sense of hope for the future, especially in this time of war, terrorism and economic crisis, he said.
Hope, not violence, drives human progress, Riccardi said.
Cardinal Lluis Martinez Sistach of Barcelona said a strong faith in God can help fight off the despair or discouragement that can come during times of crisis.
"Jesus tells us that faith can make miracles happen," he said in his homily during the Oct. 3 Mass. Christians truly believe that faith can convert hearts and minds and change the world, he said.
In the face of "the temptation of isolation, confrontation and of overcoming the crisis by ourselves and only to our benefit," people of faith "have to believe that faith can make the miracle happen," he said.
Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Filaret of Minsk and Slutsk also delivered a homily during the Mass. He said faith is the source of a community's strength for dispelling the darkness of injustice, destruction and violence facing many parts of the world today.
As a gift from God, faith "transcends our limitations and littleness" and acts like "a shield, because the Lord himself fights for us," he said.
"We need to kindle this gift and not be ashamed to bear witness to Christ, for indeed God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline," said Metropolitan Filaret.