Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People

People on the Move

N° 96, December 2004

INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE 

IN THE MIGRANTS’ WORLD

 Card. Paul SHAN, SJ

Vescovo di Kaohsiung, Taiwan

 Introduction

“Seeds migrate on the wings of the wind; plants migrate on the waves of seas and rivers from continent to continent; birds and other animals move from place to place. But even more do human beings migrate, sometimes in groups, sometimes alone, and in so doing, are always the free instruments of Divine Providence, which presides over human destiny and leads all people, even through great calamities, to their final goal: the perfection of man on earth and the glory of God in heaven.” (John B. Scalabrini, “For the Love of Immigrants”, published in 2000 by the Scalabrini Migration Center in New York.)

The phenomenon of migration is as old as humanity. Usually people move in search of better places or because they have been displaced by natural calamities or by other human forces. But it is only in the Bible that migration acquires a special meaning: people are on the move because God has requested them to do so, and in this way they became part of God’s plan to establish his Kingdom and announce the Good News of the Lord until the end of the world.

1.  Migration in the Old Testament

Everyone who remains open to the call of God can become part of this marvelous plan, originating long ago when Abraham, born in Ur, obeyed the command of God, and traveled toward the land of Canaan. There was no permanent home in the Promised Land. Abraham was told from the beginning that he would always be “on the move”. “Know this for certain: your descendants will be foreigners living in the land that is not their own” (Gen 15, 13). Later this existence of continuous movement was perceived almost as a profession of faith: “My father was a homeless Aramean who went down to Egypt, and lived there with a small group of people, but there that people became a great, powerful and large nation” (Dt 26, 5).

This identification with what is not permanent is evident in the Israelite law in which foreigners (safely assumed to mean people of other nationalities and faiths) are mentioned after the widows and orphans as the third group of individuals requiring special care. The reason for this is clearly stated: “Do not oppress the foreigner, for you know how it feels to be a foreigner; you yourselves were foreignersin Egypt” (Ex 23, 9). Foreigners, or strangers, are the only group whom God especially loves according to Deuteronomy (10, 18).

2.  Migration in the New Testament

The New Testament is filled with examples of foreigners who are blessed by God for their faith. Jesus presents Sarepta’s widow and Naaman the Syrian as examples of the ability to receive what God has to give (Lk 4, 24-27). The Phoenician woman believed stubbornly and her daughter was helped (Mk 7, 24-30). The same happened to the servant of the Roman centurion (Lk 7, 1-10), and another Roman soldier was able to draw the conclusion that Jesus was the son of God (Mk 15, 39). In one of the most famous parables of Jesus, the Good Samaritan, only the one from a different religion stops and helps the victim.

3.  Migration in the Modern World

In our world today, we have almost one hundred and fifty million people moving from one country to another for different reasons. This is creating a new melting pot where cultures, races, religions and beliefs mix and interact with one another.

Today we have new “Abrahams” born in the slums of the Philippines, in the border cities between Mexico and the USA, or in one of the many African tribes, continuously moving in search of their “Promised Land”. The Catholic Church is part of this phenomenon and, following the tradition of the Old Testament, always proclaims and defends the rights of foreigners.

4.  Inter-religious Dialogue

Today we have nameless “Syrians”, “Phoenicians”, and non-believers who are the beneficiaries of God’s grace and who stop on their journeys in order to show love and compassion to their brothers and sisters who are agonizing on the road toward their “Promised Land”. The Church believes that the phenomenon of migration can foster the development of inter-religious dialogue. According to the Holy Father, this is “one of the most significant challenges of our times”. What the Holy Father said is particularly true especially after the tragedy of 9/11.

5. What does it mean to talk about Inter-religious Dialogue after 9/11?

The images of the World Trade Center Twin Towers collapsing and of the rescuers clearing the debris of ground zero have changed the world dramatically. Perhaps most significantly, the area of inter-religious dialogue has been affected.

On one hand, this tragedy of 9/11 created a new spiritual awareness in many people. Yet, on the other hand, after 9/11, a certain atmosphere of fear and suspicion towards other religions emerged because of the misperception that this act of terrorism was caused by the Muslim religion. People tended to identify whatever was related to the Muslim religion as potential terrorism. Soon after 9/11 there were several episodes of intolerance towards Muslim people. Many were forced to undergo additional screening and security measures before traveling on planes simply because they had a long beard and dark complexion. Seafarers coming from Muslim countries were denied visas and shore leave in American ports.

People in society are suddenly feeling afraid and insecure. The blame is being placed on the Muslim religion because it is perceived as a threat to all nations. This feeling of insecurity is then extended even to other religions and suddenly dialogue and communication become difficult. The fortunate aspect of this process has been the distinction between the political motivations of the 9/11 attack and the Muslim faith itself which does not necessarily uphold these kinds of actions.

For these reasons, after 9/11, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to talk about inter-religious dialogue in the migrants’ world. As Christians we should not be paralyzed by fear, but should find new ways and means to keep open the doors of dialogue and mutual understanding with different religions. This is especially important with the Muslims who are unjustly perceived as evil by a large majority of people.

To talk about inter-religious dialogue after 9/11 means breaking down the barrier of fear, and announcing that all religions have something good and positive to offer. In continuing the dialogue after 9/11 we are giving peace another chance. We are defining new ways for religions to interact. This goes far behind the superficial political knowledge of these religions.

It is necessary also to clearly define what is inter-religious dialogue for the Church in order to avoid confusion and misunderstanding.

The fundamental mission of the Church to evangelize includes inter-religious dialogue and proclamation of the Good News. Though not on the same level, both are legitimate and necessary. They are intimately related, but not interchangeable: true inter-religious dialogue on the part of the Christian presupposes the desire to make Jesus Christ better known, recognized and loved; proclaiming Jesus Christ is to be carried out in the Gospel spirit of dialogue. 

Another non-negotiable and fundamental aspect of inter-religious dialogue is the proclamation of Christ as the Savior for the whole of humanity. The Church esteems the value of non-Christian religions and sees in them at times the action of the Holy Spirit who is like the wind which "blows where it will" (John 3:8). The Church remains convinced of the need for her to fulfill her task of offering to the world the fullness of revealed truth, the truth of our redemption in Jesus Christ.

6.  Vatican Council II and Inter-religious Dialogue

With the Second Vatican Council document, Nostra Aetate, the Church had a more positive attitude toward other religions. The document states, “The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions.” The Church has a high regard for the way of life, precepts and doctrines of other religions. Although they might be different from the way of life, precepts and doctrines of the Church, they nonetheless “reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all people.”

Even though there are similarities and differences among religious faiths, the main purpose of each religion is to make every human more spiritual. We must view different religions as essential instruments in developing a good heart and a love and respect for others. This will not only encourage people to live with greater appreciation for one another, but it will also help eliminate prejudices and false perceptions.

Listening to the other is essential in dialogue regardless of any differences. One has to trust in the other’s sincerity and openness. We must try to understand the other starting from within his/her perspective. Inter-religious dialogue should never be used as a “Trojan horse” to force the other to change his/her faith. Neither should it proselytize or condemn the other’s belief. Polemics, argumentation and confrontation have no place in inter-religious dialogue. Moreover, inter-religious dialogue is possible only when the participants are of equal standing. Such dialogue is the way to the future. If we want peace in the world, there must first be peace among religions. And, there can only be peace if there is dialogue.  

Our theological understanding of religious plurality starts with our faith in the Providence of God who created all things. Peoples and nations throughout history have responded in different ways to the creative presence of God. For us Catholics, our faith response is always in light of the salvation we are experiencing in Christ.

7.  Pope John Paul II and Inter-religious Dialogue in the Migrants’ World

As I mentioned earlier, John Paul II considers inter-religious dialogue “one of the most significant challenges of our times”. He sees this as so important that his Message for migrants and refugees in 2002 was completely dedicated to this theme with the title “Migration and Inter-Religious Dialogue”.

In his message the Holy Father challenges us as such:“the parish community[is] to become a training ground of hospitality...Welcome and mutual openness allow people to know each other better and to discover that the various religious traditions not rarely contain precious seeds of truth”. Progress has been done at this level but there is still a long way to go to make our parishes really open and welcoming communities. There is still too much fear of  “the other” as different from me.

In order to remove the fear of  “the other”, we need to learn and thus know more about their traditions and cultures. Most of all, if we, as Christians, would like to dialogue with others on the level of faith, we must see and understand well the dignity of other faiths, especially when migrants of other faiths come to us.

The Christian communities must receive them in a friendly manner and help them if they are in need. Migrants of other faiths may not have the courage to visit Catholic Churches or Centers, so some pastoral workers should visit them where they gather in train stations, parks etc. They should be offered places within the parish structure where they can gather for prayers or have their religious celebrations or just have a friendly gathering among themselves. We should not be too concerned that they are “noisy” or "dirty" because many times what we consider noisy and dirty is only a different way to express the same feelings that we have: joy, sadness, prayer etc.

There are many ways of dialoguing with others. There is no fixed pattern or style, but if we would like to be successful in creating a sincere and deep inter-religious dialogue in the world of migration, it is necessary that dialogue will be rooted in three basic attitudes:

a) A spirit of humility, openness, and respect for other religions, and for what God wishes to tell us through them.

b) A witnessing to the saving grace of Christ not so much proclaimed by words but through concrete actions of love, so that its universal appeal is seen and felt.

c) A spirituality that transforms our life, conforming it more and more to the image of Christ. This will gradually bring about the transformation of society, giving birth to a new humanity in Christ.

8. The Story of the Samaritan Woman is a Model for Inter-religious Dialogue

In the story of the Samaritan woman (John 5, 5-42) we see the paradigm of  "a dialogue with another religion." It starts with a simple request, followed by a discussion about faith, and it ends with the announcement of salvation. This is what often happens in many of our parishes and centers, ministering to people on the move. The only difference is that we cannot be sure of the conclusion. This should not prevent us, however, from continuing to seek new ways and means to dialogue with others.

Jesus arrives at Jacob’s well tired from his journey…like many migrants tired from being on the move.

Jesus approaches the woman with a very concrete and practical request: “Give me a drink.” “Migrants likewise arrive at the door of our parishes and centers with a practical request: “Please help me”.

The woman recognized Jesus as belonging to another religion and questions Him: “Why are you asking my help?”…Migrants of other religions likewise question our commitment: “Why are you helping us?”

Jesus offers “living water” to the woman...We likewise announce Jesus Christ as answer to the migrants.

The woman is intrigued by the answer of Jesus and questions Him about religion …Migrants are likewise puzzled by our answer and want to know more.

The woman recognized Jesus as the Messiah and tells her friends. They believe not because of the woman but because they see and hear themselves …. Likewise, the migrants experience the love of God in a concrete way and enter into dialogue with us. We do not know, however, if they will recognize Jesus as the Savior of their life.

9. Various forms of Inter-religious Dialogue

John Paul II proposed four different forms of dialogue that based on my experience are already active in the world of migration:

(1) The dialogue of life

The dialogue of life promotes interaction between people who profess different religions as they go about their daily lives. This dialogue can happen wherever persons of different faiths are living and interacting, such as at the market place, hospital, or factory. It is a dialogue where persons respect each other’s faiths. Such dialogue also promotes harmonious living and authentic sharing of one’s values and spiritual traditions.

This dialogue of life is the most simple and is the one that is done by a countless number of individuals on the move. These migrants sometimes do not even realize they are fostering inter-religious dialogue with their actions and lives. There are many examples of migrants who share their faith in their daily life. Much to the disbelief of their employers, some of them sacrifice overtime pay and sleep just to have the chance to express their faith and participate in liturgical celebrations. These people are real missionaries and the spreading of the gospel, especially in Asia, is in their hands.   

A Filipino worker in Taiwan was relating to me how during the lunch break all his Taiwanese companions will wait in silence to say a thanksgiving prayer. Only when she says “Amen” will they start eating. She mentioned to me that in the beginning, they were asking why she was praying in front of the food. In the few words of Chinese that she knew she explained that she was going to: “Give thanks to God because He was providing her with work and food for that day.” I am sure that you have heard the story of the Italian businessmen who had been baptized but never practiced his faith after his childhood. Nevertheless, he allowed his Filipina maid to take his two children to Mass on Sunday. After some time the children requested to attend Catechism classes to prepare for First Communion. A few weeks before their First Communion, the father asked the children what they wanted as a gift. Both children asked that the father begin attending mass again and that he receive communion. The father agreed and from that Sunday on, they began attending mass and receiving communion together.

Intermarriages are fertile ground for interaction among people of different faiths and could produce some good results. 

In Australia where many are leaving the Catholic Church, there are entire prayer groups made up of Filipina wives and Australian husbands. These men rediscover their Christian faith and again become active members of the Church with renewed enthusiasm and joy because of the persistence and dedication of their wives.

In Taiwan where there is a good percentage of Filipina and Vietnamese Catholic housewives, the Christian communities are faced with the challenge of continuing to meet the needs of these migrant spouses. Christian communities also need to find new ways to reach out to their children who are usually baptized Christian. Often the mother possesses limited knowledge of the children’s spoken language and therefore cannot nourish their Christian faith. These children are the fruit of different cultures, and if properly educated, they could change the face of the Church in Taiwan and bring a new Evangelization.

In the maritime world, the dialogue of life has already been carried on in a very ordinary way for a long time, primarily because of the policy of mixed crews. Seafarers of different nationalities, cultures and beliefs are forced to live in the limited space of the vessel for long periods, and it is inevitable that they are confronted with many differences.

A Christian seaman was confiding that he started taking his faith seriously after seeing how committed some of his Muslim colleagues were in praying five times a day and fasting during Ramadan.

(2) The dialogue of action

The dialogue of action is focused on common human concern. It is evidenced when people of different religions work together to address issues such as human rights, exploitation, and environmental or ecological problems. The dialogue of action is an integral part of all religions. This is primarily because society’s problems are a concern for everyone, but no one religious tradition can solve them all on its own.

The Church has been doing this kind of dialogue for many centuries already with all the different organizations and Congregations running schools, hospitals, etc. I think Mother Theresa of Calcutta is the person who can be most clearly identified with this kind of dialogue. She has been universally respected, loved and admired for her service to the poorest of the poor, especially in her country of adoption. Her work has gained the praise of people of all different religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.). She never talked or preached about Christ, but her actions were a sign for everyone to see.

In the world of migration, there are also many examples of people or structures completely dedicated to go beyond any boundaries to assist the migrant workers. People in distress very much appreciate the assistance that is offered to them, but more often than not they are puzzled by our Christian attitude. This was clearly expressed when an Indonesian Muslim worker, who was helped by a Catholic organization in Taiwan, asked the Director: “You are not an Indonesian and not even a Muslim; you are not getting any money from us. Why are you helping us?” The Director explained in reply that although in the Koran, Jesus is considered only as one of the prophets before Mohammed, but for him as a Christian, Jesus Christ was the Son of God and he was inspired by His example and love to take care of all people in need. The young Muslim migrant tightly embraced the Director of the Center saying, with tears in his eyes, “Tremakasi” which in the Indonesian language means “thank you”. We do not know if the young man really understood what the director was trying to explain but from that day on he might have looked at Jesus Christ in a different way. 

Another Catholic Center was trying to assist a group of fishermen in need. The government employee in charge of the case was trying to discourage the workers by saying: “But they are not Catholic.” When he received as a reply: “That is not important”, he was surprised and didn’t know what to do. Later, however, he was very cooperative even going out of his way in trying to assist in the solution of the problem. 

Maybe the maritime world has long been an example of inter-religious dialogue because every vessel is a microcosm of nationalities and religions. It is evident especially in the ecumenical Centers of different ports around the world. They provide a safe harbor for seafarers of different races, religions and beliefs. 

Port Chaplains of different Christian denominations claim ships’ gangways and arrange for the celebration of masses or for liturgical services, distributing biblical reading materials, joining hands to pray the “Our Lord’s Prayer” together, or offering a prayer for a deceased seafarer. 

(3) The dialogue of theological exchange

Though this type of dialogue is not realized so much at the grass roots level of migration, it does give experts opportunities to study concrete interaction among migrants of different religions. It is a dialogue where people share their faith and beliefs with the hope that points of convergence can be discovered and points of divergence can also be appreciated.

(4) The dialogue of religious experience

The dialogue of religious experience is the sharing of personal faith experiences. For example: How do we pray? Why do we pray? What gives us meaning? What are our different forms of spiritual experiences?  This type of dialogue requires a trust between people as they share at a deeper faith level. One of the most successful dialogues of religious experience happened in October, 1996 at Assisi. Following the invitation of John Paul II, religious leaders of different religions gathered and prayed together for peace.

In everyday experience, migrants, too, have many occasions for both civic and religious celebrations, all of which can be occasions of reciprocal enrichment.

There is a Center that shelters migrants of different nationalities and religions who on special occasions such as Christmas, Ramadan, etc. invite the migrants to explain to the others the meaning of these celebrations. Afterwards, it was apparent that migrant workers were more attentive and respectful of each other.

In the case of civil celebrations, generally the migrants are from the same country, but practice different religions. It is very important that no one should feel excluded because of different beliefs. It is necessary to plan in such a way that a representative of each religion will have the opportunity to express prayer in the form that is most appropriate to their particular beliefs.

A Filipino seafarer used to say the Rosary everyday by himself. Sometimes, however, he would fall asleep, so he decided to teach his Hindu cabin companion how to pray the Rosary. For several days he explained to him the history of the Rosary, as well as how and why to pray the rosary. After that he gave him a beautiful Rosary and began praying it with him every night before falling asleep. Before the end of the mission, the Hindu went to the Port Chaplain and asked for an image of the Blessed Virgin. When the Chaplin asked why, the Hindu seafarer answered: “I want the picture of my Mother!”

In the Thai tradition, on the occasion of the King’s birthday, everyone is invited to do something good for others. In an area with a huge concentration of migrant workers of different nationalities, they are creating a new tradition—they all go around the streets of the city sweeping it and collecting the garbage.

10. Concrete Suggestions:

1) To the churches of origin: 

a) It is the Church’s duty to make Catholic migrants aware that they have a mission in the places to which they will go, namely announcing the love of Christ to others and making the “new” society more human. It is important that future migrants be educated and formed in basic Catechism and knowledgeable about the principles of the Christian faith.

b) Migrants should be made aware of their vocation to holiness. They need to be evangelized first, so that they can then become evangelizers. If they are not aware of their vocation as announcer of the Good News, they will remain passive and unaware of their responsibilities as members of the Church.

2) To the churches of arrival:

a) Migrant workers, seafarers, fishermen, and foreigners are challenging the local church with their presence. The local Church cannot ignore them by saying: “They don’t belong to my community, they do not belong to my country, and they do not belong to my religion.” Local clergy should be trained and prepared, possibly through periods of exposure in the countries of origin of these individuals. In this way the local communities become a living witness to the mission of Christ through their actions.

b) Welcome the migrants as brothers and sisters in Christ and not as “foreigners”. The Catholic Church faces a challenge where there exists a great number of migrant workers. We are to open the doors of our hearts and buildings, welcoming all of them as brothers and sisters in Christ, because as St. Paul says: “There is no more gentile or Jew, slave or free.”

c) The Church of arrival should be willing to share their facilities and structures so that migrants can express and nurture their faith through liturgical celebrations, sacraments, etc. This will help them to be strong in the face of difficulties. Migrants in foreign lands need places to gather to express their faith in a free and personal way. It is much better to be able to do this in a familiar language and style.

d) It is necessary to facilitate interaction and dialogue between migrants, providing them with insights and information that allow them to understand and appreciate each other’s differences.

3) To the migrants:

You are called to be the salt and leaven of the earth. Being scattered to the four corners of the world, you are entrusted with a great responsibility to become the means of dialogue among people and religions. You are to establish the Kingdom of God and the new order of harmony and peace.  

Conclusion:

In the divided and fragmented world of migration, the Church can become a sign of unity and integration. The Church must become a listening Church, entering into a genuine dialogue with migrants of different nationalities and religions. In this dialogue, the migrants will become prophetic leaders, announcing Christ as Savior, creating communion, and beckoning a new Pentecost.