BSPA Congregation Newsletter Interreligious Dialogue One mind – One Heart January 25, 2011

Dear Sisters, Interreligious Dialogue was first foreign to us for the most part. Then it was considered important; then necessary; then vital; and now it is designated “crucial”. Yes, we agree - it is crucial for the sake of the planet, the cosmos, our human race , for all of us. God is with us and yet He is allowing darkness over the earth. His Spirit and saints and the power of prayer abound but He calls us to spread more and more of His light and Word within us, to be more generously generated. The power, the energy of common prayer for healing ascending from our City of Tucson has notably touched many in America and other lands. There is still much healing to be accomplished. This Church Unity Octave is the auspicious time to begin anew. One Mind, One+Heart, sr. pascaline

Monastics in the Dialogue St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Shantivanam Ashram in S. Minnesota. Bro. Gregory has India. DIMMID: Fr. William been a director of Monastic Skudlarek, O.S.B., Secretary Interreligious Dialogue for The celebration was organized General, Monastic some ten years and currently by the Bede Griffiths Sangha in Interreligious Dialogue has serves his monastic community London with talks by those announced its new website as subprior and infirmarian. He who knew Swamiji: Fr. www.dimmid.org and its new replaced Fr. Mark Serna. Next Laurence Freeman OSB, Prof. journal: Dilatato Corde http:// meeting 2011 in October at Bettina Baumer, Sanskrit www.dimmid.org. both now on Beech Grove. professor and former President line. Fr. William encourages of the Abhishiktananda all monastics to tell others SWAMI Society; and Shirley du Boulay, about the new website and ABHISHIKTANANDA – authoress of The Cave of the journal and asks that that our BIRTH CENTENARY Heart: the Life of Swami Webmasters put a link to CELEBRATION Abhishiktananda, and compiler www.dimmid.org . on our of Abhishiktananda: Essential monastery’s websites. Then try Bro. John Martin of Writings. it out. Fr. William thanks all in Shantivanam monastic Ashram advance for helping to make in S. India, Fr. Laurence DALAI LAMA ON HOW the website and Dilatato Corde Freeman from London, were WORLD’S RELIGIONS a significant contribution to the among the monastics who CAN COME TOGETHER cause of dialogue at the level of were present at Gaunts House, religious experience and in Wimborne, Dorset July l5-18 Doubleday in 2010 copyrighted spiritual practice. for the l00th anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s new book: Swami Abhishiktananda, Fr. Toward a True Kinship of DIM NEW PRESIDENT Henri Le Saux’s Birth. Non- Faiths filled with delightful and monastics from the USA profound personal encounters, Brother Gregory Perron, monk included Fr. Brian Pierce OP, dialogues with spiritual of St. Procopius Abbey in Bob Doenges and others. teachers and practitioners of Lisle, Il. was elected President Abhishik was born in 1910 in many of the world’s religions. and Chairman of the Board of Breton and went to India in May the effort of this book, he the North American 1948. He is noted as one “of prays in the Preface: “foster in Commission of Monastic the most intriguing spiritual us deep reverence toward each Interreligious Dialogue. The figures of the twentieth other.” election took place at the century,” and is considered one annual meeting of the board, of the “three” Founders of Lead me from death to life, held September 24-26, 2010 at from falsehood to truth 1 Lead me from despair to hope, parliament. Especially at this of secularism, a topic that from fear to trust. time when “Christianity is comes more and more from the Lead me from hate to love, faltering”, many feel this will concerned heart of Pope from war to peace be a privilege for them to Benedict. “The presence of Let peace fill our heart, our experience the “moral secularism and a culture of world, our universe. authority” figure in the Pope. faith is something normal, but International Prayer for Peace the separation and the Interreligious Dialogue in Benedict’s visit to England was opposition between secularism Church and world a “resounding success” despite and a culture of faith is numerous protests beforehand. something anomalous and must POPE BENEDICT XVI AND The Tablet credits him as be transcended. The great DIALOGUE INTERFAITH coming across as “a gentle, challenge of the present - INTERCULTURAL humble, warm and endearing moment is for the two to come individual with a powerful together and in this way to On New Year’s Day Pope message, which he expressed discover their true identity. He Benedict announced that he eloquently in his speeches and cautioned against “an excessive will go to Assisi in October of homilies. During his visit he trust in ecclesial structures and this year to commemorate the himself performed the programs” and over-reliance on 25th anniversary of the World ceremony of Beatification of “simply proclaiming the Day of Prayer for Peace, Cardinal John Henry Newman, message”. Even more convoked by Pope John Paul II whom he especially loved and surprising, given his opposition on October 27, l986. He has admired. The Cardinal’s to relativism, was the Pope’s invited leaders of other personal motto was Cor ad cor telling the Cultural Center at Christian communities and luquitor, “Heart speaks unto Belem, Lisbon, that the Church religious traditions to join him heart” – a real call to “continue “is in the process of learning as a pilgrim and to commit to work to build bridges of how to live with respect for themselves to live out their friendship to other religions, to other ‘truths’ and for the truth religious beliefs. heal past wrongs and of others. ..Dialogue, without communities”. Pope ambiguity and marked by The Vatican has confirmed that Benedict’s last words before respect for those taking part, is the Pope plans to visit leaving for Rome, at the a priority in today’s world.” Germany from September 22- Birmingham airport, were: This is not quite the Joseph 25, visiting Berlin, Freiburg “The very diversity of modern Ratzinger we are familiar with. and Thuringia. His choice to Britain is a challenge to its This is more the open-minded include an eastern German Government and people, but it man on a journey into unknown diocese is pleasing the German also represents a great territory, a journey from President Christian Wulff as opportunity to further confrontation to dialogue. No Thuringia was formerly in intercultural and interreligious one can be sure of the Communist East Germany dialogue for the enrichment of destination, but it is certainly DDR. “It will be an impressive the entire community.” not back to the past. way of paying tribute to the contribution made by the Before visiting England the Christian Churches to the fall Pope was in Portugal attending of the Iron Curtain in Europe,” a celebration at the shrine of SECULAR MODERNITY? he said. In Berlin the Pope will Fatima. The Catholic Church address the Bundestag which in Portugal, as elsewhere in Gregory Baum, Canadian will be the first time that a Pope Europe, is struggling to come theologian, in a major lecture in has ever addressed the German to terms with a pervasive spirit D.C. in mid November said

2 that “Interfaith dialogue, In this Nostra Aetate Lecture at by the Iranian Ministry of especially Catholic-Muslim Georgetown University Culture and Islamic Guidance dialogue , must deal with how Gregory Baum noted Pope in 2009 for his latest book: The world religions confront Benedict’s change of heart, Banquet: a reading of the fifth secular modernity. citing many instances where sura of the Qur’an published in Interreligious dialogue Benedict’s thinking on French in 2007 and in English transforms the traditions interreligious dialogue has by Convivium Press in English involved in it: it purifies them evolved over the years. He in 2009. The ministry labeled and enriches them. But if such noted that in L’Osservatore it “one of the best new works in dialogues are to be authentic, Romano, Benedict “recognizes the field of Islamic studies.” they must also work together to that dialogue with Jews is not Based now at the prestigious face up to the challenges that oriented toward their Dominican Institute for classic world religions face in conversion.” . Oriental Studies in Cairo, this today’s globalized world of Catholic scholar originally technology, finance, trade, and WORLD INTERFAITH from Belgium, offered a way of other cultural and secular HARMONY WEEK - interpreting the Qur’an that is forces.” By modernity he not only convincing and explained “I mean the new The Time has come! entirely respectable in terms of world produced by technology, The United Nations accepted Islamic scholarship, but also science, a maximizing the proposal introduced by pulls the rug out from under economy, democratic King Abdullah II of Jordan, those who have used and pluralisms, human rights and with the support of the Vatican continue to use a rhetoric of religious liberty. Modernity is and about 20 other nations for a violent martyrdom, extracted an ambivalent civilizational World Interfaith Harmony from the Qur’an, to commit force affecting the entire globe Week to be celebrated annually mass murder. that challenges every society the first week of February. The and raises difficult challenges king’s personal envoy, Prince “I begin to see how true it is that for every religion.” Ghazi bin Mohammad then God shows no partiality. Rather gave a “remarkable speech” in the one of any nation who fears Baum noted that after more which he mentions the Second God and acts uprightly is than a century of rejecting Vatican Council as the starting acceptable to Him.” (Acts 10,34) Enlightenment ideas of human point of a movement of Dialogue in Spirit and in rights and democratic interreligious dialogues that Truth and Hope pluralism, the Catholic church produced the shared conviction “was able, at the Second that the time has come for the MUSLIMS OFFER Vatican Council, to say a worldwide promotion of THEMSELVES AS critical yes to modernity, while religious harmony. “HUMAN SHIELDS” FOR continuing to oppose scientific CHRISTIANS reductionism and utilitarian ALTERNATE READING individualism” He sees a COULD BRING NEW similar wrestling with the MUTUAL RESPECT challenge of modernity taking BETWEEN THREE place in the other world ABRAHAMIC FAITHS religions and he says it seems to him that “Interreligious Christian scholar, Michael dialogue may not avoid this Cuypers was given the “World topic.” Prize for the Book of the Year”

3 sharing dialogue on prayer and “CHRISTIANOPHOBIA” the mystical life. OR BIAS AGAINST CHRISTIANS ON THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL RISE EXEMPLIFIES DIALOGUE THAT REACHES OUT Christians have become the most persecuted of all the The Church’s Pontifical world’s religions. Pope Council for Interreligious Benedict has stated this Dialogue annually extends unequivocally in several of the congratulations and heartfelt messages he issued at wishes for peace and joy to our Christmas time…a leitmotif Buddhist friends around the that is running consistently world on occasion of their through everything the Pope St. Francis and the Sultan Buddhist feast of Vesakh. writes. Intolerance and “Christians and Buddhists discrimination against In Egypt, Muslims offered Respect Human Life as the Christians is manifested in themselves as “human shields” Basis of Respect for all various forms across Europe… to protect Coptic Christians beings,” the message was including violent attacks celebrating their Christmas just entitled to Buddhists against persons, property and a week after a church bombing at the end of May. places of worship, as well as that killed 21 people. restrictions to the right to Egypt’s Ahramonline reported Likewise there was official freedom of religion or belief, that droves of Muslims turned outreach to our Hindu Friends and inaccurate portrayals of up at Coptic churches to act as on the occasion of their Feast Christian identity and values in “human shields.” It quoted of Divali (Deepavali) the the media and political Mohamd El Sawy, a Muslim festival of light celebrated discourse.” Cardinal Christoph arts tycoon, credited with first annually by Hindus, Jains, Schonborn has appealed to floating the “human shield” Siekhs and many others at the Christians to ‘break the spiral idea, as saying “We either live beginning of November. “As of silence’ on Christian together, or we die together.” people who hold in common persecution. When the former the well-being of individuals Archbishop of Canterbury, Christians and Muslims have and communities, may we give Lord Carey, spoke out at the had a long history of both greater visibility with every launch of the “Not Ashamed animosity and goodwill. The means in our power to a culture campaign” he urged Christians image above shows St. Francis that promotes respect, trust and to “wear their faith with pride”. and Sultan Malek al-Kamil. St. cooperation. May God, the The Christian Legal Center ‘s Francis had gone to stop the Supreme Light illumine your concern is not only that Crusaders but failed in his minds, enlighten your hearts Christians are under attack in attempt to do so. He and the and strengthen the human secular Britain, but that they Sultan tried to convert each bonds in your homes and are discriminated against in a other but soon realized that communities. We wish you all a society which is far keener to they shared a love of God that joy-filled Deepavali.” respect other religions. They united them. The Sultan gave accuse the state and even some Francis an ivory trumpet that Darkness needing Light: private-sector employers of remains in his crypt in Assisi. Prayer and Dialogue going out of their way to They parted in peace after accommodate Muslims and people of other faiths, while

4 discouraging and even the Church. “We need to Colombia: Terrorist groups are penalizing ostentatious recover that channel and put it the primary threat to religious Christian expression. at the service of the people and freedom in Colombia, not the cardinal,” he said. Mr. according to this year’s India: Christmas carol singers Chavez asked the Minister of International Religious were assaulted by Hindu the Interior to “revise” the Freedom Report. The US fundamentalists in Mumbai, license of the non-profit Department of State document with the assailants even taking channel. said rebels have “killed, the carol singers to a police Iraq: The Dominican sisters kidnapped, and extorted station and accusing them of and brothers in Iraq are religious leaders and insulting Hindus. Fr. Thomas experiencing a tremendous practitioners, inhibiting free Chirattavayalil, at remote persecution and violence-- religious expression.” mission center at Odagady principally by foreign El Queda Egypt: Coptic Christians have village in Madhya state, was terrorists who were let into the clashed with police while attacked and seriously injured country by the U.S. invasion in protesting over the halting of in a midnight raid on the 2003. Happening now are: construction of a new church mission. In the diocese of massacres and assassinations, near the pyramids in Giza. Andhra Pradesh state on Dec. driving people from the Authorities said a Christian 12th statues of the Virgin Mary, country. community center was being St. John & Mary Magdalene at Congo: Clergy in Congo’s transformed into a church Calvary were found decapitated North Kivu region have warned without permission, while and disfigured. Fr. Babu of “genocide in the making” as protesters claimed the Joseph, spokesman for the “insecurity, violence, necessary construction permits Catholic Bishops’ Conference massacres, sexual violence and were secured. On November of India said, “We have reasons murders are recorded every 24, four Copts were killed, to suspect there is a hidden day”. including one child, dozens agenda behind such violence”. Kosovo: Christians in Kosovo were injured and 93 people Venezuela: President Chavez have complained of tension were arrested. asked the National Assembly to with local Muslims after China: Cardinal Joseph Zen give him a year to rule by several churches were attacked Zekiun of Hong Kong has decree in the aftermath of and daubed by Islamic warned the Vatican not to devastating flooding, which has militants. There have been a compromise too much in its made more than l00,000 series of anti-Christian relations with the Beijing Venezuelans homeless. incidents in the Balkan State, Government, insisting that Archbishop Baltazar Porras whose Feb. 2008 independence “there is no religious freedom Cardozo of Merida has attacked declaration has been recognized in China”. The Cardinal the recent move which by the US and UK but not by insisted that China has shown indicates Chavez is ‘moving Serbia or Russia. The building no willingness to change on the towards dictatorship’. Mr. of a Catholic cathedral question of the appointment of Chavez has questioned the dedicated to the ethnic bishops and “absolute” control cardinal’s right to criticize the Albanian Blessed Mother was still its religious policy. government, but Cardinal Teresa of Calcutta, to be On Nov. 20 the state-backed Urosa claimed the same completed with government Patriotic Church ordained constitutional right to express funding in the capital Pristina Joseph Guo Jincai as bishop in himself as any other citizen. in the autumn, has faced Chengde, without the approval Last month President Chavez opposition from Mufti Naim of the Pope. The Vatican stated his desire to “recover” a Ternava, spiritual leader of condemned China for the Catholic television station from Kosovo’s Muslims. ordination, calling the episode

5 a “painful wound” hampering Other Shore during the past frequently visiting dialogue between the Holy See year include: Shantivanam ashram. and Beijing. The Holy See He was keynote speaker for the condemned the meeting’s Fr. William Johnston, S.J. Monastic Interreligious declared purpose to implement who died in Tokyo on October Dialogue Conference in principles of independence and l0th. For many decades Fr. Holyoke, MA in l984. His autonomy, self-management Johnston was a scholar and published notes were called: and democratic administration spiritual teacher, a writer and Blessed Simplicity. of the Church, saying the leading exponent of the assembly and recent ordination contemplative dimension of the Cor ad cor loquitor of a bishop without papal Gospel and modern approaches ‘heart speaks unto heart’ approval was “unacceptable”. to interreligious dialogue. Born China said the Vatican’s in Belfast in l925. His family statement was “imprudent and moved to Liverpool and he (Sources for this newsletter were mainly drawn ungrounded”. entered the Society of Jesus in from The Tablet, Westminster Interfaith Afghanistan: l943. He insisted “only Newsletter, NCR and MID secretary) Parliamentarians and students prayerful dialogue between are calling for the arrest and Judaism, Christianity, Islam, execution of Christian converts Hinduism and Buddhism can as a new wave of anti-Christian save our planet from prejudice sweeps the country. destruction. What a Demonstrations have been held responsibility we have.” One of in cities across Afghanistan, his much loved, final books including Kabul, where was entitled: Arise My Love. university students demanded the expulsion of foreigners Raimon Panikkar – apostle of accused of proselytizing. interfaith dialogue died at his Fatima: During his visit to the home in Tavaertet, near Marian Shrine of Fatima Pope Barcelona, Spain, August 26 at Benedict told Portugal’s the age of 91. Fr. Panikkaar Bishops that this present time was one of the greatest scholars demands “a new missionary of the 20th century in the areas vigor on the part of Christians, of comparative religion, who are called to form a mature theology, and inter-religious laity identified with the Church dialogue. He was born Nov. 3, and sensitive to the complex l9l8, son of an Indian Hindu transformations taking place in father and a Spanish Catholic our world.” He further mother. He held three lamented that “among doctorates and wrote on politicians, intellectuals and returning to Europe: communications professionals” “I left as a Christian, I there is a “disdain for the discovered I was a Hindu and religious and contemplative returned as a Buddhist without dimensions of life.” ever having ceased to be Christian.” He studied his Obituaries: 2010 noted Hindu roots in India walking to Interreligious Dialogue the mouth of the Ganges with exponents who passed to the Fr. Bede Griffiths and

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