▁in ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁and ▁said ▁" rel ig ious ▁belief s ▁must ▁never ▁be ▁allowed ▁to ▁be ▁ab used ▁in ▁the ▁cause ▁of ▁violence ▁and ▁war ." ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 4 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁dialog ue ▁between ▁Buddh ist ▁and ▁Catholic ▁religious ▁and ▁social ▁leaders ▁began ▁in ▁the ▁V at ican , ▁hosted ▁by ▁the ▁Pont ific al ▁Council ▁for ▁Inter rel ig ious ▁Dialog ue ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Conference ▁of ▁Catholic ▁B ish ops . ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁attended ▁the ▁meeting , ▁where ▁he ▁spoke ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁Buddh ists ▁and ▁C athol ics ▁working ▁together ▁to ▁address ▁social ▁problems . ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁received ▁a ▁Buddh ist ▁bless ing ▁while ▁at ▁the ▁meeting . ▁ ▁S ik hi ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁first ▁visit ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁shared ▁a ▁stage ▁with ▁Dr . ▁Gun ish a ▁K aur , ▁a ▁S ikh - American ▁human ▁rights ▁research er ▁whose ▁father ▁surv ived ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁anti - S ikh ▁ri ots ▁in ▁P un j ab , ▁at ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁ 9 / 1 1 ▁Memorial ▁to ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁toler ance ▁and ▁common ▁human ity . ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁also ▁met ▁with ▁K aur ' s ▁father , ▁Dr . ▁Sat pal ▁Singh , ▁co - found er ▁of ▁the ▁S ikh ▁Council ▁for ▁Inter fa ith ▁Rel ations ▁and ▁former ▁chair person ▁for ▁the ▁World ▁S ikh ▁Council ▁( America ▁Region ), ▁who ▁has ▁advoc ated ▁for