Pope Francis said this Sunday, addressing the Catholic community of Morocco, that his mission was not to convert others but to live in fraternity with other religions, Reuters said. During his two-day official visit to the Kingdom, the pontiff emphasized the need for inter-confessional dialogue. He also supported the efforts of King Mohammed VI to develop interreligious dialogue in Islam and the rejection of violence in the name of God. Estimates state that there are 23,000 Catholics living in Morocco - mostly French and European expatriates and Sub-Saharan African migrants - making up less than 1% of the country's 35+ million inhabitants. «Christians are a small minority in this country. Yet, to my mind, this is not a problem, even though I realize that at times it can be difficult for some of you», the Pope said at a meeting with Catholic community leaders in the Saint-Pierre Cathedral in Rabat. «The Church grows not through proselytism but by attraction», Pope Francis further declared. «This means, dear friends, that our mission as baptized persons, priests and consecrated men and women, is not really determined by the number or size of spaces that we occupy, but rather by our capacity to generate change and to awaken wonder and compassion». Pope Francis
