D I A L O G U E

Vol. VII No. 3 July - Sept 2010

1. Divali – The Festival of Lights Fr. S. M. Michael SVD 2 Editorial 2. Inter-Religious Prayer Service for Diwali John Misquitta 3 Hindi Translation P. X. Swamy 3 3. Abhishiktananda – The Mystical Paradox Fr. Gilbert de Lima 6 4. News and Reports * Fr. S. M. Michael SVD 9 * Dialogue takes more than talking Archbishop Dominique Mamberti 11 * The Bird Course 2010-2011 Ferdinand Pereira 12

Celebrating the BIRTH CENTENNARY OF SWAMI ABHISHIKTANANDA O.S.B. Catholic Priest & Sannyasi 1910 Born Henri Le Saux in Saint Briac, France 1929 Ordained Priest, Order of St. Benedict 1934 Came as Missionary in India 1948 Founded an Ashram in Tannirpalli, along with Father Monchanin 1950 Founded Saccidananda Ashram, Shantivanam Changed his name to Swami Abhishiktananda and adopted the dress of a Hindu Sannyasi 1950-55 Spent time in the caves of the holy mountain Arunachala 1968 Left Saccidananda and became a hemit 1973 Died in Indore

The Bombay Archdiocesan Commission for Inter-Religious Dialogue President : Archbishop Oswald Gracias Chairman : Fr. S. M. Michael SVD Office Add. : Institute of Indian Culture, Mahakali Caves Road, Andheri, Mumbai - 400 093 Telephone : 2836 8038 Email : [email protected] Members : Dr. (Mrs) Valerie D’Souza, Fr. Gilbert de Lima & Fr. Aniceto Pereira. Editorial DIVALI – THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

Divali, the festival of lights, fireworks, rejoicing Another important aspect of Divali is Narak- and fellowship is the most joyful and most widely Chaturdashi. This is a commemoration of an observed festival throughout the length and ancient and revered legend which tells of a demon breadth of India. In many parts of India, king, Narakasura, who became all powerful and Christians also participate in its social festivities in oppressed the world. The gods appealed to Shri a spirit of fellowship with their Hindu neighbours Krishna for deliverance. Shri Krishna vanquished and friends. In this festival Christians find a lot of the demon king and brought deliverance to all. resonance with their values and meanings. Laxmi-pujan is another important aspect of Divali. It is the new moon light (amavasya). On this day, The actual origin of the Divali festival is shrouded the goddess of prosperity, Laxmi is invoked. A in the dense mists of hoary antiquity. Divali means beginning made on this auspicious day is believed many different things to different religions, but all to bring prosperity and success. Trading castes celebrate it with their own splendor and meaning. open fresh accounts on this day. For instance, Jains and Sikhs celebrate Divali but they have bestowed meanings to it that are in accord with their faiths. Religiously speaking, for Still another dimension of Divali is the celebration Jains Divali is the great event of the liberation of of Bali-pratipada. This is celebrated on the first day Tirththankara Mahavira, while for Sikhs it is the of the month of Kartik. It is the celebration of god great event of the release and return of Guru Vishnu's victory over the asura (demon) Bali. On Gobind Singh after his imprisonment. this day cows are honoured in a special way.

An ecological explanation to the festival of Divali The climax of Divali celebration is the Bhau-bij is that, from the beginning of October the day (Bhai-bij). It is a celebration to strengthen the becomes markedly shorter and shorter and the family bonds. Bhau-bij celebrates the beautiful night becomes longer and longer in India. The sprit of brotherly/sisterly affection. Sisters on this warmth of the day is waning to the chill of the day do the aarti for their brothers, and brothers night. These ecological changes affect the people's offer presents to their sisters. rhythm of life. The hope of the day is giving way to the depression of the night. This is perhaps the Thus, the overall theme running in the celebration origin of Divali. Thus it is not a coincidence that of Divali is the celebration of light in the midst of this festival is celebrated on the dark half of the darkness and life in the midst of death. It is an month of Ashwin to the bright half of the month of experiential reality that the dark force of Kartik (October-November) in Hindu calendar. ignorance and delusion holds people in its grip resulting in all the chaos and evil that torment our In North India, Divali consists of five different festivals celebrated from the 13th of the dark half of world. It is God, the Lord of Light enlightens the month of Ashwin to the 2nd of the bright half of human beings to see clearly in the midst of the month of Kartik in the Hindu year. Regional darkness. variation in the number of days celebrated, in the explanatory religious stories, and the details of Thus in celebrating Divali we join the ancient ceremonies and customs mark the celebration of seers' earnings: this most joyous festival. But in all these “Asatoma sad Gamaya … celebration there is darkness and light; death and Oh Almighty Lead me from Ignorance to Truth life. For example, Dhan-trayodashi (“row of Tamasoma Jyotir Gamaya … lights”) is the beginning of Deepavali (Divali). In Oh Almighty Lead me from Darkness to Light Divali celebrations there is also Yama-trayodashi ( Mrityorma Amritam Gamaya!” Sacred to Yama – the Lord of death). The pious Oh Almighty Lead me from Death to Immortality. light oil lamps believing that this would bring them the blessing of a happy death, being spared by Yama of an untimely one. Intricate designs Happy Divali! with coloured powders (rangoli) are engraved in homes to ward off evil. S.M. Michael SVD

July - Sept. 2010 u 2 INTER-RELIGIOUS PRAYER SERVICE FOR DIWALI

Requirements : DeeJeMÙekeâ meeOevee l Involve your TRD cell to go personally and invite l Deheves Devlej-Oece& mebJeeo iegó kesâ meomÙeeW keâes YesefpeÙes, efkeâ the heads of various places of worship, and ask JÙeefkeäleiele ®he mes peekeâj Jes efJeefYeVe Oece&mLeue kesâ cegefKeÙeeDeeW keâes them to gather at the Parish hall/compound for this Deecebef$ele keâjW Deewj Gvemes keânW efkeâ Jes Fme ØeeLe&vee meYee kesâ efueS Prayer Service. heuueer kesâ meYeeie=n/Deneles ceW Skeâ$e neW ~ l A Samai prepared and decorated with flowers: Please inform those special guests who are invited l lewÙeej keâer ntF&, HetâueeW mes mepeer Skeâ meceF& : pees efJeMes

PRAYER SERVICE heefjÛeÙe Introduction: ÙeneB DeeS meYeer ueesieeW keâe nce mJeeiele keâjles nw efJeMes

July - Sept. 2010 u 3 loved day is Bhaubeej - when the bond of love kesâ yeerÛe Øesce keâe mebyebOe Deewj cepeyetle yevelee nw~ Heâšekesâ, veÙes keâheÌ[s between a brother and sister is further strengthened. Deewj efce"eFÙeeW kesâ keâejCe yeÛÛeeW kesâ efueS lees oerheeJeueer meye mes DeefOekeâ For children, fire works, new clothes and sweets make GlmegkeâleehetJe&keâ Øeleeref#ele lÙeesnej neslee nw~ Diwali the most eagerly awaited festival of the year. oerhe keâe Øeoerheve (ØeJesMekeâ, Ùee Devlej-Oece& mebJeeo iegó kesâ meomÙe Lighting of the Lamp: An usher or IRD cell member Éeje Gve ueesieeW henues ner mes keâes meÛesle keâerefpeÙes, pees oerhe keâes Øeoerhle to alert those invited to light the Lamp to be ready. keâjves kesâ efueÙes Deecebef$ele nw) oerhe Øeoerhle keâjvesJeeueeW kesâ veece Yeer Introduce the name of the person lighting the lamp as well. Ieesef

Call to Prayer Let us for a moment be still and acknowledge the ØeeLe&vee keâe De£eve presence of God within us and with us at this moment. DeeDees, nce kegâÚ #eCeeW kesâ efueÙes Meeble jnkeâj, Deheves Devoj leLee (Silent Pause). Deheves meeLe, F&Õej keâer GheefmLeefle keâes mJeerkeâej keâjW (Meeble efJejece)

Gathering Song : Any suitable Bhajan in Marathi or meYee ieerle : ceje"er Ùee efnvoer ceW keâesF& GheÙegòeâ Yepeve Hindi.

Readings from the Holy Scriptures of different Faiths DevÙe OeceeX kesâ heefJe$e Oece&«evLeeW mes hee"

1. A Reading from the Hindu Scriptures (to be 1. efnvot Oece&«evLe mes hee" (hee"keâ Éeje Ûegvee peeS Deewj henues ner selected by the Reader and informed to the Prayer Fmekeâer metÛevee ØeeLe&vee mebÛeeuekeâ keâes os oer peeS) Presider in advance.) 2. cegmeefuece Oece& mes hee" (hee"keâ Éeje Ûegvee peeS Deewj henues ner 2. A Reading from the Muslim Scriptures (to be selected by the Reader and informed to the Prayer Fmekeâer metÛevee ØeeLe&vee mebÛeeuekeâ keâes os oer peeS) Presider in advance.) 3. ¡eermleerÙe Oece&«evLe mes hee" (uetkeâme 12:33-36 Ùee ØeeLe&vee 3. A Reading from the Christian Scriptures : Luke 12 : mebÛeeuekeâ kesâ meeLe leÙe keâjW keâesF& otmeje hee") 33 - 36. Or any other suitable reading in coordination with the Prayer Presider. ceOÙemLeleeSB (Deueie Deueie Yee

2) For true charity and love so that we may live as one 2. meÛÛeer Goejlee Deewj Øesce kesâ efueÙes leeefkeâ nce F&Õej keâer mebleeve

July - Sept. 2010 u 4 family of brothers and sisters, and children of one Deewj YeeF&-yenveeW kesâ Skeâ heefjJeej kesâ ¤he ceW jn mekeWâ Fmekesâ efueÙes God . For this we pray nce ØeeLe&vee keâjles nQ~ Response : God of Light - be with us peJeeye : ns ØekeâeMe kesâ ØeYeg! nceejs meeLe jn~

3) For the sick in hospitals and at home, so that 3. IejeW Deewj DemheleeueeW ceW jesefieÙeeW kesâ efueÙes leeefkeâ Jes Deheveer sickness becomes bearable. lekeâueerHeâ men mekeWâ~ Response : God of Light - be with us peJeeye : ns ØekeâeMe kesâ ØeYeg! nceejs meeLe jn~

4) For the hungry and the down-trodden, so that we are 4. YetKees Deewj heooefueleeW kesâ efueÙes leeefkeâ nce DeefOekeâ meeLe&keâ ¤he able to share our festivals with them more mes, GvnW Deheves lÙeesnej keâe menYeeieer yevee mekeWâ~ meaningfully. Response : God of Light - be with us peJeeye : ns ØekeâeMe kesâ ØeYeg! nceejs meeLe jn~

5) For children and youth, who in their joy, celebrate 5. yeÛÛeeW Deewj peJeeveeW kesâ efueÙes, pees ØekeâeMe Deewj HeâšekeâeW Éeje with the lighting of fireworks, that they do not get Deheveer KegMeer peeefnj keâjles nQ leeefkeâ Jes efkeâmeer Yeer lejn IeeÙeue ve injured in any way. neW~ Response : God of Light - be with us peJeeye : ns ØekeâeMe kesâ ØeYeg! nceejs meeLe jn~

Concluding Prayer : Deefvlece ØeeLe&vee God of all, teach us to be patient with our loved ones, nce meye kesâ F&Õej! Deheves efØeÙe peveeW, Deheves ceelee efhelee, efMe#ekeâ our parents and teachers, neighbours and friends, and he[esefmeÙeeW Deewj efce$eeW, Me$egDeeW, meye Oeceex kesâ ueesieeW kesâ meeLe, nceW our enemies, with people of all faiths and religions so menveMeerue jnvee efmeKee os, leeefkeâ nce meye F&Õej kesâ mebleeveeW kesâ that we are able to live as children of God. meceeve, meeLe meeLe jn mekeWâ~

Concluding Hymn : Any suitable Bhajan denoting Deefvlece Yepeve - meoYeeJe, cesueefceueehe Deewj Meebefle mes mebyebefOele keâesF& peace and harmony. GheÙegòeâ Yepeve

Refreshments may be served (Deye Deuheenej efoÙee peeS~) John Misquitta Kalyan DevegJeeokeâ heer.Skeäme.mJeeceer SAMMELAN WISHES ALL ITS READERS A HAPPY DIWALI

July - Sept. 2010 u 5 ABHISHIKTANANDA, THE MYSTICAL PARADOX!

Now Jules Monchanin, although scholarly, lived a semi-eremitic life in an Ashram. Henri, impressed by all he encountered, immediately adopting the life of a sannyasi, wearing robes, eating dal and rice, learning customs and language with alacrity, and incorporating Hindu chants, prayers, readings, and practices into his daily monastic routines. Together with Jules, Henri first visited their Hindu counterparts, the monks from the order of Ramakrishna. Later, they attended the darshan or public presentations of Aurobindo, and finally that of Ramana Maharshi at Arunachala, the holy mountain.

The experience of Ramana's presence, Abhishiktananda, was the name adopted by a followed by eager reading of his teachings on French Benedictine monk Henri le Saux, advaita or non-dualism, silence, and solitude, whose religious experience in India led him to were very overwhelming. Consequently, for become a bridge between Hindu and three years, he became a wandering Christian spirituality. among the caves of Arunachala. The insight of Advaita was for him very profound. Already as a student in the monastery he entered at the age of eleven one of his teachers Together with Jules Monchanin, he founded a described him as `clever but something of a Christian Ashram and religious community, paradox'. The judgment was prophetic! Shantivanam, or Saccidananda, on the banks Paradox was, indeed, to characterize the life of the sacred Kavery River, in 1950 and and thought. After the death of his mother in adopted the name Swami Abhishiktananda. In 1944, he suddenly professed an earnest A Benedictine Ashram (first published 1951) interest in going to India. It was the first great Abhshiktananda and Jules articulated their paradox of Henri's life, since he knew no one goal this way: “… to form the first nucleus of a personally from India. He had not read any monastery (or rather a laura, a grouping of scriptures, books, or significant articles about neighboring anchorites like the ancient laura India or Hinduism. However, when the of Saint Sabas in Palestine) which buttresses bishop of Tiruchirapalli and a French priest, the Rule of Saint Benedict, a primitive, sober, Jules Monchanin responded to his discreet rule, with only one purpose, to seek correspondence enthusiastically, Henri's path God. We would like to crystallize the search of was set. He reached India in August 1948 and the Hindu sannyas, with advaita and the praise never returned to France despite his affection of the Trinity as our only aim. We seek to also for his homeland. grasp the authentic Hindu search for God in July - Sept. 2010 u 6 order to Christianize it, starting with experiences of solitude and silence, of fear ourselves first of all, from within.” and of nakedness before God. He was clearly at the brink of the advaita experience, which he Abhishiktananda spent the rest of his life called "awakening." However, he experienced seeking to integrate the non-dualistic a fear before the paradox of clinging to two experience of advaita with his Christian paths at once, Christianity and Hindu advaita, beliefs. He believed that non-duality is neither what he called "Jesus and Arunachala." And dualism nor monism because although so he writes: 'If to become Christian I had to 'advaita' means "not-two," it does not mean give you up, O Arunachala, to abandon you, O "only one." Abhishiktananda's affirmation of Ramana, then I would never to able to be both non-duality and non-monism was Christian again. ... If only I could be influenced by Christian Trinitarianism, completely sure that there is no eternal risk to interpreted as an expression of the `Many be run in following Ramana to the end'. from the One'. He also believed that Jesus' experience of Sonship with the Father is an The profound insights of Abhishiktananda advaitic experience that is equally available to may be summarized as a remarkable everyone. synthesis of: Vedantic philosophy, Christian theology, Indian lifestyle. The hope was that Abhishiktananda distinguished between a 'what is deepest in Christianity may be pure consciousness experience (nirvikalpa or grafted on to what is deepest in India'. He was kevala samadhi) and the experience of a return a pioneer who attempted to fathom the to the world of diversity in sahaja samadhi. depths of Christianity with the aid of the Sahaja samadhi is the state of the jivanmukta, the traditional wisdom of India found in Vedanta. one who is liberated while still in the body. He He also held that the bridge between Indian probably did experience sahaja samadhi. spirituality and the Church was to be monasticism. Later, during the time spent at Guru Gunanda's Ashram, Abhishiktananda got Abhshiktananda gradually grew in the absorbed in Hindu ceremony and ritual. conviction that the intersection of Christian Gnanananda taught using simple parables and Hindu must be interior and so in his later and direct discourses on solitude and self, and years he found himself drawn to religious through the use of long periods of silence. experience within solitude. However, at no Abhishiktananda later wrote a long essay point did he disown his Christianity, simply entitled "Esseulement" or "Total celebrating Mass until virtually the end of his Solitude" on his experiences with life. Eventually, heleft the ashram which he Gnanananda. Here he revealed his newly- had founded with Monchanin, and built a discovered methodology for understanding small hermitage at Gyansu, near Gangotri in advaita. Following this period, he entered the the Himalayas, adopting the life of a semi- well-known Chola temple at Tamal Nadu with itinerant renunciate. In the last decade of his its Mauna Mandir or Temple of Silence. He life he wrote about a dozen books. Among his lived in solitary confinement for over a month most captivating and striking works are Guru here and in his diary he speaks of the both his and Disciple (first English edition, 1970), The anguish and his serenity. He reveals his Further Shore (1975) and The Secret of

July - Sept. 2010 u 7 Arunachala (1978). He also wrote dozens of nor any river-banks, Arunachala had articles and maintained a spiritual journal, disappeared. "He was." running to something in the order of two thousand pages by the time of his death. Fr. Gilbert de Lima

Abhishiktananda realized more and more deeply that to truly be a sannyasi was to Select Bibliography embrace "solitude, total stripping," what he 1. N . A . A b h i s h i k t a n a n d a , i n called "Solitude-Silence-Poverty." Solitude www.members.shaw.ca/jgfriesen/Mainhe meant renunciation of all relationships, all adings/Abhi.html -(4/10/10) moral and physical support and all 2. N. A. Abhishiktananda: Solitude and expectations. This solitude was deeper. P a r a d o x , i n I n d e e d , t h e c o r e o f s o l i t u d e wa s www.hermitary.com/solitude/abhishiktan disengagement from the work in order to anada.html - (4/10/10) 3. N . A . A b h i s h i k t a n a n d a , i n surrender the self absolutely to non-duality, to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhishiktananda go beyond faith, beyond human formulations, (4/10/10) beyond doctrines, beyond all signs, all forms 4. Amaladoss, M., Swami Abhishiktananda'a of manifestations, all symbols, all images, all Challenges to Indian Theology, in concepts, to the Absoltude, the Alone. Vidyajyothi, 2010, May (Vol 74), pp. 338-349 5. Yesurathnam, Regunta, A Christian He died on December 7, 1973 after several dialogical theology: the contribution of Swami years in which he had lived virtually as a Abhishiktananda, (Punti Pusthak, Kolkata, hermit. Indeed, Abhishiktananda had 2006) confronted paradox directly. The dilemma 6. Du Boulay, Shirley, The Cave of the Heart: The was sharp from the beginning. In 1954 Life of Swami Abhishiktananda, Orbis Books: Abhishiktananda wrote: How agonizing it is New York 2005 to be perched on the knife-edge between the 7. Du Boulay, Shirley, Swami Abhishiktananda: opposite slopes of Hinduism and Christianity. Essential Writings, Maryknoll,, New York: In 1972 he could only add: I know what it is to Orbis Books, 2006 be torn in pieces. And so solitude emerged as 8. Gianfreda SJ, F., The Eucharist in not a chosen but virtually a predestined path A b h i s h i k t a n a n d a ' s T h e o l o g i c a l for Abhishiktananda, a necessary journey. Reflections, in Vidyajyothi, 2010, April (Vol Abandoned by men, and abandoned by God 74) 245-265 alone with himself alone, infinitely 9. Oldmeadow, H., (Review) of The Cave of the alone…There [on the further shore] he Heart: The Life of Swami Abhishiktananda by, Du Boulay, Shirley, Maryknoll, New Jersey: discovered the aloneness of the Alone, and the O r b i s B o o k s , 2 0 0 5 , i n aloneness of Being, and the joy of BEING, the religioperennis.org/documents/Oldmeado peace of Being, the freedom of Being. He w/cave.pdf (4/10/10) awoke; there was no longer an abyss, nor a river,

July - Sept. 2010 u 8 THE AYODHYA VERDICT

The bench of the Allahabad Ramjanmabhoomi movement felt that “What the High Court pronounced its judgment on 30th court has said vindicates our demand that September 2010 on the sixty years old dispute of Hindus be allowed to build a temple at the - issue in birthplace of Lord Ram”. Arguing that “law” had Ayodhya. The Court ruling orders the division of upheld “faith”, L.K. Advani said that the the disputed site in three equal parts between Allahabad High Court judgment had opened the Hindus, Muslims and the Nirmohi of doors for an amicable negotiated settlement. Ayodhya. But the judges came out with different Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, schemes for the division. Justices Khan and said that the Allahabad High court verdict Agarwal said the parties can file their suggestions provides us strength to establish the Ram Rajya regarding division of land within three months, that Mahatma Gandhi spoke of. and for three months the status quo will be maintained. Some Muslim voices indicate that now the Muslims should handover their part of the There is a mixed reaction to the land to Hindus to build their Ram temple. Some judgment. Some were other Muslims are of the opinion that the matter stunned to discover that has to be taken to the the Hindu deity Sri Ram Supreme Court to obtain too had been a litigant in justice for the Muslims. We the case. In fact, the court hear a mixed voice from the awarded him ownership Muslim communities. On rights over the disputed the one hand, S Q R Ilyas, site. Some ask: can a deity, the convener of All India like a normal human Muslim Personal Law being, fight a legal battle? B o a r d ' s ( A I M P L B ) According to the High committee on Babri Masjid Court, while Ram Lalla – saying that the Board being a deity – enjoys legal would soon become a party rights, since he is a “minor” he could be to the Ayodhya title suit case and challenge the represented in court through a guardian or Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court's friend. verdict in the Supreme Court. On the other hand, Mohammed Hashim Ansari, the 90-year old lone Some others backed the Allahabad ruling surviving litigant, the original plaintiff along with on the title suits with the view it is fair that the the Waqf Board, said he had initiated talks with court has attempted reconciliation by giving the Mahant of Hanumangarhi Gyan Das to justice to all litigants. Some others feel that the explore the possibility of an out-of-court Allahabad High court verdict is the first step settlement. towards resolving the sixty year old ownership dispute by including all the warring parties in With all these voices, we need to look at the process. the larger picture of India and its future. We need to build peace and harmony among our citizens of Mr. Advani, the architect of the all religions and cultures. In this context, what is

July - Sept. 2010 u 9 best for the future of our country? We require and part of the Supreme court bench that to study the verdict patiently keeping in mind delivered the judgment in 1994 declining to the common good of all people. answer the Presidential reference enquiring if there was a temple on the spot said: “There is A careful study would show that no running away from the centrality of human history is made up of migrations, answering who has the title. I am not sure on conquests and defeats. How far back in the what basis the Sunni Waqf suit has been time- past could one go in order to claim certain barred. But if the title is not theirs, how can areas as their own in human history? The one-third be a masjid now, and if the title is Masjid was at the spot uninterrupted, from theirs, how can two-thirds be divided? There 1528 until 1949. All three judges, namely S U certainly can be a comprise but that should Khan, Sudhir Agarwal and D.V. Sharma have happened after the verdict. The verdict accepted that the idols were placed under the should not appear like a decision of a central dome on December 22/23 1949. Until panchayat foisted forcibly on all parties”. 1949 the namaz was held regularly. According to some interpreters, the law of the land, i.e. L o o k i n g a t a l l t h e a b o v e possessory law, the owner of the land is the considerations we may say that the judgment one who is entitled to the land title who has of the Allahabad High Court on the sixty year uninterrupted and unchallenged possession old title suit over the disputed Ram of an area for twelve years. Hence, some legal Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid in Ayodhya is a opinions say that the Muslims have the right political rather than a legal judgment. The to the Masjid. Similarly, the Nirmohi Akhara court appears to have used non-legal had performed puja, bhajan-kirtan just categories like faith to come to conclusions outside the three domes uninterrupted for about Ram's exact birthplace. It has a long more than twelve years. Hence, it also has a standing legal repercussion for the country. It claim to that portion. But the issue involved is must be kept in mind that the High Court the declaration by the Court that the land ruling does not condone the act of demolition beneath the central dome of the Babri Masjid of the Babri Masjid carried out by the Sangh as the exact spot where Lord Ram was born. parivar on December 6, 1992. The demolition This ruling is purely based on belief. It would wreaked havoc on the country's multi- have been better if the honourable judges religious fabric. It divided communities and maintained “it is incapable of legal set us back by many years. The wounds are determination”. According to the Waqf Board healing slowly. Any act that threatens to the dismissal of its case is unwarranted reopen old wounds must be avoided. Given because though the Hindu law recognizes a the political history of independent India consecrated idol's rights as a juridical person, where religious and ethnic discord is high, we a minor in perpetuity, the rights were need to look at the judgment carefully and challenged within hours of the idols being utilize our diligence to safeguard the placed. This is being seen by the Board as a Constitutional rights of all religious, linguistic legal infirmity in the present judgment. and cultural communities in India.

A.M. Ahmadi, former Chief justice Fr. S. M. Michael SVD

July - Sept. 2010 u 10 DIALOGUE TAKES MORE THAN TALKING

NEW YORK, SEPT. 30, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Voicing dozen members of the peace force. opposite positions and irreconcilable ideologies is not truly dialogue, a Vatican representative Challenges told the United Nations. Rather, he said, true The Vatican official acknowledged, however, dialogue means exchanging and sharing that there is no lack of reasons for concern about wisdom. global peace. This was the reflection made by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for relations Among these, he mentioned worldwide military with states at the offices of the Vatican expenses, which "continue being excessively Secretariat of State. The prelate gave a French- onerous and even increase.” language address at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday. He also spoke of the "problem of the exercise of the legitimate right of states to a peaceful He said that the "undeniable good that the development of nuclear energy, compatible with United Nations Organization represents for the an effective international control of non- whole of humanity" could not have been proliferation.” expected without inter-governmental and societal dialogue. Human rights After speaking about progress on the "However, to be sincere and fully effective, this Millennium Development Goals, Archbishop dialogue must really be dia-logos -- exchange of Mamberti focused on what he called the wisdom and shared wisdom," the archbishop "fundamental national interest of all clarified. "[...] To dialogue does not mean only to governments," that is, "the creation and listen to the aspirations and interests of other maintenance of the conditions necessary to parties and to try to find compromises," but it develop fully the integral good -- material and "must pass rapidly from exchange of words and spiritual -- of each of the inhabitants of their the search for balance between opposite nations.” interests to a real sharing of wisdom for the common good." "That is why," he said, "respect and the promotion of human rights are the final objective Achievements of dialogue and of international affairs and they Archbishop Mamberti went on to list a few of the are at the same time, the indispensable condition notable U.N. achievements, including in the for a sincere and fruitful dialogue between field of disarmament, such as the treaty nations.” prohibiting cluster bombs, progress in nuclear disarmament and the promotion of peaceful "The history itself of the development of human uses for nuclear energy. He applauded the rights shows that respect for religious liberty, START Treaty between Russia and the United which includes the right to express one's States on the further reduction of arms, as well as faith publicly and to spread it, is the essential other treaties on nuclear testing and the stone of the whole building of human rights," the production of nuclear weapons materials. prelate affirmed. "One must continue to do everything possible to He said the greatest guarantee for the future of arrive at a world free of nuclear arms. It is an the United Nations is in this vein: It will continue objective that cannot be given up, even if it is fulfilling its "historic mission," he stated, complex and difficult to attain, and the Holy See "with a constant reference to the dignity of all supports all efforts in this connection," he said. men and women and by their effective respect, The prelate also noted U.N. achievements in the beginning with the right to life -- including of the field of humanitarian aid, such as that given in weakest such as the sick in the terminal phase response to the January earthquake in Haiti. In and children about to be born -- and to religious fact, he noted, the leader of the U.N. mission liberty." there was among those killed, along with several

July - Sept. 2010 u 11 THE BIRD COURSE 2010 - 2011

The BIRD Course 2010-2011, It helped me to understand the Hindu way of c o n d u c t e d b y t h e life as witnessed in our city on the occasion of Archdiocesan Commission the celebration of festivals, and also the for Inter-Religious Dialogue, occasions marking the different stages in the life commenced in Dadar in the of a growing Hindu person. I also got an insight middle of July. I was looking into the Hindu understanding of caste and forward toward this course stages in life. in order to know about other religions, precisely because I am dealing with That afternoon we were fortunate to be taken to the RCIA wherein people of other religious Siddhivinayak temple, which was for me a first backgrounds come for catechesis. time entry into a temple. The crowds that visit that shrine and the systematic ushering of In the first session with Fr. Gilbert de Lima, he devotees were impressive. It was interesting to clarified the Church's stand on dialoguing with note that after making their offerings in the people of other faiths. Very importantly and sanctum sanctorum, many people would wait rightly he stressed the need to be truly back to sit and pray. grounded in one's own faith before getting into dialogue with others. The various levels of The third session in September was a discussion dialogue explained to us were a good base to on the document Dialogue and Proclamation, understand this. based on which Fr. Aniceto Pereira further clarified for us the theology of dialogue. What We were also told to begin to appreciate the caught us by surprise is that we are not only to good that is there in other religions. For some of appreciate the good in other religions but also to us in the class this was initially difficult to foster it! By exploring various experiments understand and accept. The matter was well conducted in several places, we were led to see debated during the session. We began to that while we attempt to interact with people of appreciate that since the Holy Spirit pervades other faiths in an atmosphere of mutual all human reality, we could easily accept that listening, we also firm up our resolve to the Holy Spirit is also alive and active in the proclaim the kingdom of God, albeit in a hearts of people of other faiths. dialogical style.

At the next session in August, we had an I am looking forward to gaining more from this enlightening presentation on Hinduism by a course, specially the knowledge of the Hindu Professor, Mrs. Harsha Batkar. We differences in the ways of thinking of people of learnt the basic philosophy underlying different religions on fundamental issues, so Hinduism, as well as its rites and rituals. We that I can appreciate their world views. This understood how Hinduism is based on the clarity will also make me compare their beliefs Vedas and the , and enhanced by with my own, helping me to perhaps deepen the great epics which are so well known. While my own faith with these additional insights. Hindu philosophy has an appeal of its own, Hindu religious rites and rituals are very Ferdinand Pereira diverse, changing and culturally conditioned. Participant, BIRD 2010-2011

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