Cardinal Paul Poupard Foundation Chair of Inter-Religious & Inter-Cultural Dialogue
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Cardinal Paul Poupard Foundation Chair of Inter-religious & Inter-cultural Dialogue Ethics and Society: An International Journal Religions andEthics Cultur andes Society: for Peace An andInternational Harmony Journal Religions and Cultures for Peace and Harmony Vol. 1 No. 1 (Inaugural Edition) Vol. 1 No. 1 (Inaugural Edition) Contributors: Cardinal Paul Poupard Contributors: Cardinal Oswald Gracias Cardinal Paul Poupard Archbishop Felix Machado Cardinal Oswald Gracias Dr. Marie Fernandes Archbishop Felix Machado Rev. Dr. S.M. Michael svd Dr. Marie Fernandes Rev. Dr. Gilbert de Lima Rev. Dr. S.M. Michael svd Rev. Dr. Arokiasamy Soosai, sj Rev. Dr. Gilbert de Lima Roberto Catalano Rev. Dr. Arokiasamy Soosai, sj Rev. Dr. Paulachan Kochappilly, cmi Roberto Catalano Rev. Dr. Jacob Parapally, msfsRev. Dr. Paulachan Kochappilly, cmi Rev. Sr. Dr. Virginia RajakumariRev Sandiyagu,. Dr. Jacob olm Parapally, msfs Rev. Sr. Dr. Teresa Joseph,Rev. fmaSr. Dr. Virginia Rajakumari Sandiyagu, olm Rev. Dr. Shaji Joseph, sdb Rev. Sr. Dr. Teresa Joseph, fma Rev. Dr. Shaji Joseph, sdb Edited by: Edited by: Archbishop Felix Machado Rev. Dr. Gilbert de Lima Rev. Dr. Gilbert de Lima Rev. Dr. Stephen Fernandes Rev. Dr. Stephen Fernandes 19th September 2009 19 September 2009 ETHICS AND SOCIETY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL Religions and Cultures for Peace and Harmony Vol. 1 No. 1 Contributors: Cardinal Paul Poupard Cardinal Oswald Gracias Archbishop Felix Machado Dr. Marie Fernandes Rev. Dr. Gilbert de Lima Rev. Dr. S.M. Michael svd Rev. Dr. Arokiasamy Soosai, sj Roberto Catalano Rev. Dr. Paulachan Kochappilly, cmi Rev. Dr. Jacob Parapally, msfs Rev. Sr. Dr. Virginia Rajakumari Sandiyagu, olm Rev. Sr. Dr. Teresa Joseph, fma Rev. Dr. Shaji Joseph, sdb Edited by: Archbishop Felix Machado Rev. Dr. Gilbert de Lima Rev. Dr. Stephen Fernandes 19 September 2009 THE CARDINAL PAUL POUPARD FOUNDATION The Cardinal Paul Poupard Foundation has been constituted under Italian law and recognised by the Republic of Italy. It has legal base at Crema, Via Dante, 24. In a world oscillating between indifference and fanaticism, His Eminence Cardinal Poupard, collaborator of the sovereign Pontiffs John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI is one of the most qualified representatives for the way of dialogue, identified by Popes as being able to establish peaceful and long-lasting co-existence between nations and different civilisations. The Cardinal Paul Poupard Foundation intends to conserve and make use of the considerable patrimony of culture and relations that the Cardinal created over many years, in seeking to create and encourage cultural initiatives that can foster the coming together and understanding between traditions and religions of all the world. It seeks to promote congress, conferences, publications, create Chairs in universities throughout the world, help students with grants and promote the Prize “The Dialogue of Cultures”. In order to do this it is composed, under the direction of His Eminence Cardinal Paul Poupard, of a President, who will have responsibility for all the activity of the Foundation, assisted by a scientific Committee made up of men and women from the field of culture and the world of business and finance, and will be a place of contact able to erect solid bridges between countries and cultural institutions. The members of this Committee witness, by their adherence, to the richness of different cultures across the world: France, Italy, Russia, United States, Latin America, India and Middle East. ii CARDINAL PAUL POUPARD FOUNDATION: INSPIRED BY AN OPEN HUMANISM One can synthesize the specific character of Cardinal Paul Poupard Foundation, saying that it is inspired by an open Humanism and it is committed to its spread. It is Humanism, because at the core of its concerns there is the human being, that means the one who has to defend himself from all the ideological, political and economic forces which tend to enslave him. It is Open, because it recognizes within each human being the spiritual openness, that means the religious dimension which constitutes man’s nature. Therefore, it works through the initiatives that I am going to illustrate [or: that I have illustrated]: valorising man in his spiritual dimension, hoping that the different expressions of it do not become an occasion for violent conflicts, but rather a loyal and constructive comparison, for reciprocal enrichment and a common search of truth. Adv. Giuseppe Musumeci St. Andrew’s College Management Committee for the Cardinal Paul Poupard Foundation: Chair of Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Dialogue 1. Cardinal Oswald Gracias (Chairperson) 2. Archbishop Felix Machado (Ex-Officio, Card. Paul Poupard Foundation) 3. Adv. Giuseppe Musumeci (Ex-Officio, Card. Paul Poupard Foundation) 4. Msgr. Nereus Rodrigues (Manager) 5. Dr. Marie Fernandes (Principal) 6. Sr. Theresa Joseph (Secretary) iii Poupard aul Fo P un al d in a d t r io a n C Chair of Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Dialogue St. Andrew’s College, Bandra Vision To promote peace and harmony for a holistic development of society. Mission The Chair of Inter-Religious and Inter-national Dialogue at St. Andrew’s College aims at promoting: - the exchange of knowledge concerning religions and cultures in dialogue with one another, - advanced studies and research in Inter-Religious dnd Inter-Cultural Dialogue - a space for dialogue so as to foster social harmony and national integration - the transformation of society by training people to live in peace and harmony. Programmes offered Seminars: To promote study and research among the students into the major religious and cultural traditions. Certificate/Diploma Courses: Short courses in the areas of inter- religious dialogue, religious pluralism and cultures so as to enable the participants to get to know various religions and cultures. iv Local, national and international workshops: Workshops on Inter- Religious and Inter-Cultural Dialogue and Education as well as sensitizing teachers/students on the significance of the same. Lectures: Lectures by distinguished persons of various religious traditions and cultures. The lectures will aim at creating better understanding among the students and participants, and at promoting peace and harmony. Research: Offers the possibility for scholars to work on research papers and publications. Inter-Collegiate Programmes: Essay and Quiz competitions, Seminars, Debates adn Exhibitions. Themes A team of Educators who would offer inter-religious and inter-cultural perspectives. A team of Professors who would offer reflections and approaches to promote peace and harmony for a holistic development of society. v Contents Cardinal Paul Poupard Foundation ii Vision, Mission, Programmes Offered, Themes iii Contents vi About the Authors 1 Our Editors 5 Religions and Cultures for Peace and Harmony Paul Cardinal Poupard 7 Religions and Cultures for Peace and Harmony His Eminence, Oswald Cardinal Gracias 19 Promoting Harmony in Society and Peace in the World Archbishop Felix A. Machado 30 The Need to Foster Inter-Religious Tolerance among Youth Dr. Marie Fernandes 38 Dialogue and Culture for Mission and Proclamation in Asia Rev. Dr. Gilbert de Lima 43 Implications of Karma and Rebirth for Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue in India1 Rev. Dr. S.M. Michael SVD 60 Is There a Specifically Christian Morality?* Rev. Dr. Soosai Arokiasamy S.J. 73 vi The Focolare Movement experience of Interreligious Dialogue in Asia Roberto Catalano 83 The Way of Integration through Dialogue of Faith and Culture in Asia: The Case of the Syro-Malabar Church of the Saint Thomas Christians of India Rev. Dr. Paulachan Kochappilly, CMI 98 The Uniqueness of Christ in the Asian Context of Religious Pluralism: Challenges and Pastoral Solutions Rev. Dr. Jacob Parappally, MSFS 121 The Necessity of Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Dialogue to Promote the Common Good in Asia Sr. Dr. Teresa Joseph fma 131 The Crucial Role Of Women In Fostering Inter-Religious and Inter-Cultural Dialogue In The Asian Context Sr. Dr. Virginia Rajakumari Sandiyagu, SAB 152 Biblical Evidence for Dialogue with Cultures and Religions in Asia Rev. Dr. Shaji Joseph Puykunnel SDB 166 vii 1 About the Authors Paul Cardinal Poupard was born in August 1930 in Anjou (France). He was ordained in 1954 and nominated Cardinal on 25 May 1985. He completed 2 doctoral theses at the Sorbonne in theology (on the links between faith and reason) and history (on Church-State relations). He is currently a member of the Congregations for Divine Worship, Evangelisation of Peoples, Catholic Education, and of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Besides having been awarded various civic, political and religious honours and decorations, he is a doctor ‘honoris causa’ of several universities including: Aix-en-Provence, Fu Jen, Louvain, Quito, Santiago de Chile, Puebla de los Angeles. He has made numerous contributions to collections and articles in periodicals and encyclopaediae. He was principal editor of the Dictionnaire des Religions, now in its 3rd. edition in its French and Italian versions, its 5th. in Spanish. His own works have been translated into Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Croatian, English, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and other languages. Cardinal Poupard became President of the Pontifical Council for Culture in 1988. In 2006 he was also the President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Oswald Cardinal Gracias completed his Doctorate in Canon Law, from the Urban University, Rome. He also has a Diploma in Jurisprudence from the Gregorian University, Rome. From 1971-1976, he was Secretary and Chancellor for the Diocese of Jamshedpur. From 1982 to 1986, he was the Secretary to the Archbishop of Bombay. From 1982 to 1997, he was the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Bombay. From 1988 to 1998, he was the Judicial Vicar of the Archdiocese of Bombay. On 28 June 1997 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay. From 1987 to 1991 and from 1993 to 1997, he was the President, Canon Law Society of India. On 07 September 2000, he was appointed Archbishop of Agra.