Commission for Interreligious Dialogue

SIGNS OF HOPE

Michael L. Firzgerald

The Holy Spirit is Source of Hope

In the catechetical programme of preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 the Holy Father has combined meditation on each Person of the Blessed Trinity with reflection on one of the theological virtues. In the first year we were invited to consider Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh, together with the virtue of faith. The final year of preparation is dedicated to the Father, from whom all things come and to whom all things will return., emphasis being placed on the theological virtue of charity. In the current year our attention is turned to the Holy Spirit, the source of life and hope. Pope John Paul 11 has stated clearly that there is «need for a better appreciation and understanding of the signs of hope present in the last part of this century, even though they often remain hidden from our eyes» (TMA 46). He pointed to «the increased interest in dialogue with other religions» as one of these signs (ibid.).

Two Significant Events

Two major events in the life of the Catholic Church have contributed to this growing interest in interreligious dialogue. The first was the Second Vatican Council, the first Council ever to speak explicitly on the relations of the Church with the followers of other religions. The Declaration Nostra Aetate can be considered the point of departure for a new attitude towards other believers and an incentive to building up positive relations with individuals and. communities of other religions. The second event was the World Day of Prayer for Peace, held in Assisi on 27 October 1986. The sight of religious leaders gathered round the Holy Father, standing together before God to implore peace for our torn and troubled world, caught the imagination. It has inspired many, at all different levels, to enter into contact with people who do not share their own beliefs. Some examples of different initiatives are given here. It is hoped that they may, in their turn, be a source of further inspiration.

Women in Dublin

Conscious of the on-going conflict between people of different cultures and religions, for instance in the Middle East, in Bosnia and in other parts of Europe, there was seen to be a compelling need to create a climate of greater interfaith understanding and solidarity on the home front. Ireland too is becoming a more pluralistic society, with an obvious need for growth in openness to «the other» who is different, and for education which will respect the faith, culture and nationality of all. It was the awareness of these new needs that led to the creation of the Women's Interfaith Intercultural Group in Dublin in 1993. Under the leadership of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion, a small group of women have been meeting monthly. They have included Baha's, Christians (of various denominations), Hindus, Jews and Muslims. They have taken the time to tell their own faith stories. They have learned more about the various cultural and religions traditions represented in the group. This has been done in a variety of ways, through lectures and videos, but also by visiting together different place of worship and through special events such as a Japanese tea ceremony. As the members of this first women's interfaith, intercultural group in Ireland continue to meet, they are discovering how fragile is the structure of human relations. There is always the temptation, they say, to stay with «the known». Crossing strange thresholds is a real challenge, but they see that such a challenge can bring great richness to their lives.

Bishops and Imams

Conflict between Christians and Muslims has been going on for many years in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. As always, the conflict is not purely religious but has social and political dimensions. Yet the religious leaders of the two communities are aware that differences in religious beliefs colour people's attitudes. As an expression of their common commitment to peace and understanding among their respective religious communities in Mindanao, nineteen Bishops of Mindanao and nineteen members of the Ulama League of the Philippines met in Cebu City on 29 November 1996. Among the questions they raised for further examination were the following: What can we do together to ensure security for Muslims in Christian areas and Christians in Muslim areas? How can we maintain the momentum of peace-building and promote the Culture of Peace? How do we change the deep-seated prejudices on both sides? How do we bring about value formation and maximize the role of schools in this effort?

The second meeting was held in Davao City on 18 February 1997. This time the attendance was seventeen on the part of the Bishops and twenty-six from the side of the Ulama. The media were predicting that the meeting would not take place, for just a few days before, on 13 February, Bishop Ben de Jesus, bishop of Jolo in the Sulu Islands, had been cruelly murdered. Yet the religious leaders would not allow the peace process to be derailed. They roundly condemned this «brutal killing» and other actions which would endanger peace. They gave encouragement to local religious leaders, parish priests and imams, to set up local-level multireligious structures, in order to ensure continuing dialogue and to foster a culture of peace. They resolved too to widen the dialogue to include Protestant religious leaders and to set up a joint secretariat to ensure the follow-up of the resolutions.

Pilgrimage for Peace

Westminster Interfaith is a Catholic initiative in the Archdiocese of Westminster, London, U.K. Its aim is to increase understanding, co-operation and respect between Christians and people of other religions. One of the means chosen to bring people of different religious traditions together is the annual Pilgrimage for Peace. This is not a pilgrimage to one particular place, but rather a march through the streets of London which takes a different route every year. In 1996 the pilgrimage stayed within the West London areas of Ealing and Southall. From 8 o'clock in the morning until 8 o'clock at night the pilgrims wended their way through these suburbs. They were led by the monks and nuns of the Buddhist Nipponzan Myohoji Order beating their peace drums. The route was marked by «stations», stops at places of worship belonging to different religious traditions. Buddhist temple, Christian churches, Jewish synagogie, Muslim mosque, Hindu mandir and Sikh Gurdwara all welcomed the pilgrims. Prayers were offered, refreshments served, and strength restored for the continuing march.

The pilgrimage of peace would seem to serve a double purpose. For those who participate it provides an opportunity for new discoveries. The host communities are able to receive their guests according to their own traditions, and to present themeselves on their own terms. In an even more personal manner those who are walking side by side are led to share their stories, like Chaucer's pilgrims on their way to Canterbury. And when weariness makes words difficult, there is the bond of companionship in suffering. The pilgrimage is also a sign to the onlookers. This motley group of people, of African, Asian and European origins, with perhaps an odd American or Australian thrown in, whose variety of dress shows the difference of religious affiliation, can be considered a walking parable. They are saying to the community at large, so often beset by racial and religious tensions, that it is possible for people of different beliefs to act in harmony. Where there is respect and understanding, peace is possible.

Trilateral Think Tank

How intractable is the situation in the Middle East ? There are some who feel that political negotiations are not enough. The peace process must be accompanied by religious reflection. Two colloquies have been organized by the Holy See Commission for Religious Relations with Jews, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, the Office on Inter-Religious Relations of the World Council of Churches and the General Secretariat of the Lutheran World Federation. The first, in Glion, Switzerland, in May 1993, took as its topic The Spiritual Significance of Jerusalem. The second, which was held in Thessaloniki, Greece, in August 1996, discussed The Responsibility of Jews, Christians and Muslims for Peace in Jerusalem. On both occasions the majority of the participants came from Israel and Palestine. These meetings were held outside of the region in order to facilitate participation, but various initiatives have sprung up within the region itself. Here is just one example. During 1996, in and around Jerusalem, a team of 15 scholars and educators - 5 Jewish, 5 Christian and 5 Muslim - met five times in a «Think Tank» on Common Values/Different Sources. At each meeting of the group a different value was studied through lectures/discussions based on texts from each of the religious traditions represented. The themes studied were Peace, Justice, Humankind in the Image of God, Tolerance/Attitudes towards members of other religions, Education. The intention of the group is to publish their papers, in Hebrew, and then in Arabic and English, in order to share their discoveries with their fellow citizens.

Mother Theresa's Funeral

Mother Theresa was known and revered the whole world over. Her witness of love, her care for the poorest of the poor, her indomitable spirit, had won over all hearts. Her funeral, relayed over television in the longest ever broadcast by mondovisione, was a wonderful sign of unity. It was as if the whole world was present, wanting to pay its respects to this remarkable woman who had been able to touch so many consciences. Her message, expressed in deeds more than in words, transcended boundaries of race, colour and creed. It was entirely fitting that at her funeral representatives of different religions should have the opportunity to express their appreciation for her life and should offer prayers for her. So it was that not only were Christian voices heard, but also those of a Hindu, a Muslim and a Sikh. Mother Theresa's life had been a sign of hope for the world. Her message lives on. The presence of people of other religions at her funeral, the reverence which they showed for her, the love they manifested, is a further sign that our world knows how to appreciate genuine goodness.

Hope as a Commitment

Hope is a virtue which allows us to see things as God sees them. It helps us to discover goodness in people; it encourages openness to the values of other cultures and religious traditions; it leads to co-operation in setting and attaining common goals for the good of humanity. As Pope John Paul 11 has said: «The basic attitude of hope, on the one hand encourages the Christian not to lose sight of the final goal which gives meaning and value to life, and on the other, offers solid and profound reasons for a daily commitment to transform reality in order to make it correspond to God's plan» (TMA 46).