‘We are all brothers,’ Franciscan in Jericho says of iftar gifts

As his Muslim neighbors and fellow Jericho residents make their way home for the iftar, which breaks the daily fast throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Franciscan Father Mario Hadchiti hands out small bags of dates and water to passersby in front of the Franciscan Good Shepherd Church.

Returning from Iraq, pope talks about ‘risks’ taken on trip

Asked about his meeting March 6 in Najaf with Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, an authority figure for Shiite Muslims in Iraq and around the world, Pope Francis said it “was good for my soul” and was another step on the path of promoting greater understanding and cooperation with Muslims.