Vatican City, Sep 8, 2014 / 05:30 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In a message sent to inter-religious faith leaders attending a conference on peace, Pope Francis proposed that there are always alternatives to war and urged participants to seek avenues of dialogue.

“War is never a necessity, nor is it inevitable. Another way can always be found: the way of dialogue, encounter and the sincere search for truth,” Pope Francis said in his Sept. 7 message to conference attendees.