Bishops' Conference Secretary: Peace Requires Dialogue, Not Silencing Dissent

Monsignor Giuseppe Baturi, secretary general of the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI), asserted that genuine peace requires open dialogue and the freedom to express diverse viewpoints. He clarified the CEI's stance on the controversy involving an archbishop's appeal to exclude Israeli writer Eshkol Nevo from a literary festival. Baturi explained that the archbishop's signature on the appeal was a personal choice, exercising his freedom of thought and expression, and not an official CEI position.

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Peace is not built by preventing those who think differently from speaking, but by creating conditions for listening to each other.

"Peace is not built by preventing those who think differently from speaking, but by creating conditions for listening to each other," Baturi stated. He stressed that the Church does not erase personal conscience but integrates it into a journey of communion. He advocated for dialogue on divisive issues, including the war in Gaza, echoing Pope John XXIII's belief that peace needs freedom and dialogue to explore possibilities for conversion of hearts and lasting agreements.

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The signature of the archbishop of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo created a debate. What do you think?

Baturi drew parallels to the situation in the Holy Land, where dialogue is most necessary. He cited Cardinal Pizzaballa's observation that violence stems from dehumanizing language, a trend the Church must counter by denouncing violence and terrorism without fueling hateful rhetoric. He also referenced the exclusion of author Erri De Luca from a festival, calling intolerance unhelpful and advocating for the "social friendship" Pope Francis speaks of – the ability to hold opposing views while still engaging in free conversation.

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Peace is built through dialogue, which requires freedom of expression. That is why the CEI has repeatedly recalled the importance of mutual confrontation and listening.

Expressing concern over extreme polarization in Italy, Baturi urged prioritizing people and their suffering, not only in Gaza but also in Sudan, Congo, and other forgotten war zones. He shared his recent experience in Tigray, Ethiopia, describing a disastrous situation with an estimated 600,000 war deaths and people resorting to drinking from puddles, a crisis largely ignored by international attention.

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Yes, on this and on any other topic. John XXIII already said it: peace needs freedom and therefore dialogue. Even to explore the possibility of a conversion of hearts, of a search for just and lasting agreements.