Rome: Senior leaders of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi and Cardinal Jacob Koovakad, met with Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, on Saturday, following the Funeral Mass of Pope Francis in Rome. The two cardinals reflected on Pope Francis's dedication to championing the causes of the poor and marginalized, his efforts to eradicate poverty, and his vision of a world without war or nuclear weapons.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, both cardinals expressed their deep appreciation for Prof Yunus's work, acknowledging him as a close friend of the late Pope and recognizing his commitment to fighting poverty. Prof Yunus shared his long-standing association with Pope Francis, describing him as an extraordinary individual who embraced people of all religious backgrounds. Prof Yunus recounted his meetings with Pope Francis and highlighted a significant moment when his critical letter regarding the need for Vatican Bank reforms was published by the Pope in the Vatican's official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.
Prof Yunus further described how Pope Francis appointed him to chair committees focused on reforming the Vatican's banking practices and expanding the Church's pro-poor initiatives. In November, the Vatican inaugurated the Pope Francis-Yunus Three Zero Clubs in Rome to promote Prof Yunus's vision of zero unemployment, zero wealth concentration, and zero net carbon emissions. Prof Yunus noted that despite being a Muslim, Pope Francis never objected to their collaboration, and he was honored with the Torch of St. Francis of Assisi by the Catholic Church for embodying the spirit of the 13th-century mystic and saint.
Cardinals Tomasi and Koovakad mentioned that the College of Cardinals, where they are key members, would convene next week to elect the next Pope, with both cardinals being considered potential candidates for the Church's top leadership position.
During a meeting with Cardinal Tomasi, who previously served as the Permanent Observer of the Holy See in the UN offices in Geneva, geopolitical issues were discussed. Cardinal Tomasi and Prof Yunus praised Pope Francis's efforts to call for an end to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Reflecting on his recent visit to Southeast Asia, Cardinal Tomasi emphasized the need for more peace-building measures in the region.
In a separate meeting with Cardinal Koovakad, the Vatican Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, it was announced that the Catholic Church in Bangladesh would host an interfaith dialogue in September. Prof Yunus stressed the importance of continued dialogue among people of different faiths in Bangladesh and highlighted the interim government's commitment to religious harmony and protecting citizens' rights.
Lamiya Morshed, the government's SDG Coordinator; Tareq Ariful Islam, Ambassador to the Vatican; and Rokebul Haque, Ambassador to Italy, were also present during the meetings.