At Vatican event, Pope Leo XIV tells Christians and Muslims to ‘turn indifference into solidarity’

Pope Leo XIV used a Vatican interfaith meeting on Monday, May 11, to make a pretty direct point: Christians and Muslims should not just admire compassion as an idea. They should use it. His line was that both communities are called to “revive humanity where it has grown cold” and to “transform indifference into solidarity.” That sounds broad. But the interesting part is how fast he connected it to very specific places and people. Over the previous two days, Leo had also spoken about violence in the Sahel and praised residents of Spain’s Canary Islands for welcoming a ship carrying hantavirus patients. Put together, this looks less like a one-off speech and more like an early governing instinct. (vaticannews.va) ### What was the event, exactly? The setting was a colloquium in Rome organized by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and Jordan’s Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies, which was founded under the patronage of Prince Hasan bin Talal. The theme was “Human Compassion and Empathy in Modern Times,” so Leo was speaking to people already focused on Christian-Muslim cooperation, not making an offhand remark at a general audience. (vaticannews.va) ### Why did he frame compassion this way? Leo argued that compassion is built into both traditions. He pointed to the Muslim idea of divine compassion and to the Christian claim that God’s compassion becomes visible in Jesus. But he did not leave it at theology. He said compassion and empathy have “social implications” and are not optional extras for believers. ### Why mention technology? (vaticannews.va) Because his warning was about emotional numbness. Leo said people now see a constant stream of images and videos showing other people’s suffering, but that flood can dull the heart instead of moving it. Basically, he is describing the moral problem of the algorithmic age — endless exposure without responsibility. ### Where does Jordan fit in? (vaticannews.va) Jordan was not just supplying conference guests. Leo explicitly praised the kingdom’s efforts to welcome refugees. That matters because it turned the speech from abstract interfaith goodwill into a nod toward a state that has shouldered a real refugee burden for years. In other words, he highlighted a working example of solidarity while asking Christians and Muslims to do more of it. ### Why bring up the Sahel too? Two days earlier, Leo met the board of the John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel and called for its mission to be renewed under new statutes adopted in Dakar in February. He described the region as battered by insecurity, terrorism, political instability, climate crisis, and migration pressures. Then, on Sunday, May 10, he publicly prayed for victims of rising violence in the Sahel, especially in Chad and Mali, after recent terrorist attacks. (vaticannews.va) ### And what about the Canary Islands? At the Regina Coeli on May 10, Leo thanked the people of the Canary Islands for their “welcoming spirit” after they allowed passengers from the Hondius cruise ship, including hantavirus patients, to disembark. He added that he would see them next month during his June 6-12 trip to Spain, which includes stops in Tenerife and Gran Canaria and meetings with migrants and aid groups. (vatican.va) ### So what is Leo’s bigger pattern? Turns out the through line is pretty clear. Leo is pairing interreligious dialogue with concrete humanitarian flashpoints — refugees, neglected African conflicts, and vulnerable travelers. He is also doing it early, and repeatedly, which suggests this is not just Vatican language but a real pastoral and diplomatic emphasis. ### Bottom line (vaticannews.va) The news is not just that Pope Leo XIV said a memorable line in a Vatican hall. It is that he is using Christians-Muslims dialogue as a vehicle for action — especially where the world has gotten used to looking away. (vaticannews.va)