ie vers ▁over ▁the ▁years , ▁and ▁also ▁invited ▁C athol ics ▁to ▁p ardon ▁those ▁who ▁had ▁per sec uted ▁them ." ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁has ▁met ▁with ▁the ▁heads ▁of ▁the ▁Ass y rian ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁East : ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁met ▁with ▁Mar ▁D ink ha ▁IV ▁and , ▁later , ▁with ▁his ▁successor ▁Gew arg is ▁III , ▁emphas izing ▁the ▁need ▁of ▁inter fa ith ▁dialog ue ▁and ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁Christian ity ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East , ▁the ▁traditional ▁hom eland ▁of ▁the ▁Ass y rian ▁people . ▁ ▁Independent ▁Catholic ism ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁met ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁with ▁a ▁deleg ation ▁of ▁the ▁Old ▁Catholic ▁Church ' s ▁B ish ops ' ▁Conference ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁of ▁U tre cht , ▁led ▁by ▁the ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁U tre cht ▁and ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Old ▁Catholic ▁B ish ops ▁Conference ▁J oris ▁Ver c ammen . ▁The ▁Pope ▁reflected ▁on ▁the ▁shared ▁ec umen ical ▁journey ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁churches ▁since ▁their ▁ 1 8 th - century ▁sch ism ▁over ▁the ▁issue ▁of ▁pap al ▁prim acy . ▁The ▁Pope ▁called ▁for ▁C athol ics ▁and ▁Independent ▁C athol ics ▁to ▁" per se vere ▁in ▁dialog ue ▁and ▁to ▁walk , ▁pray ▁and ▁work ▁together ▁in ▁a ▁deeper ▁spirit ▁of ▁conversion " ▁and ▁said ▁there ▁are ▁" many ▁areas ▁in ▁which ▁C athol ics ▁and ▁Old ▁C athol ics ▁can ▁collabor ate ▁in ▁tack ling