Pope Francis and Archbishop of Canterbury join forces to fight modern-day slavery

ROME, June 16 (UPI) -- Pope Francis met Monday with the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in Rome, where the two religious leaders discussed their shared commitment to strengthening ecumenical relations and ending human trafficking.

The Holy Father, recalling their first meeting over a year ago, said, "Your Grace and I discussed our shared concerns and our pain before a number of grave evils afflicting our human family. In particular, we shared our horror in the face of the scourge of human trafficking and forms of modern-day slavery."

In March, the pope and archbishop signed a Memorandum of Agreement to support Global Freedom Network, an interfaith organization dedicated to eradicating modern-day slavery.

"The Global Freedom Network can achieve much practically to dismantle what you have so often rightly said is a grave crime against humanity," the Archbishop of Canterbury told the Holy Father on Monday. "May God give us the resolve and cooperation we need together ... As we remember the precious spiritual heritage that is common to us both ... Remembering always the desire of Our Lord that 'all may be one,' we remain deeply committed to this work."