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In a Dec. 1 meeting with interreligious leaders in Bangladesh, Pope Francis praised them for their commitment to live together in \u201cmutual respect and goodwill\u201d in the country, \u201cwhere the right to religious freedom is a founding principle.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fact that they are all meeting together, he said, \u201cstands as a subtle yet firm rebuke to those who would seek to foment division, hatred and violence in the name of religion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pointing to the commitment of interfaith leaders in Bangladesh to building a culture of encounter, Francis said this goal \u201centails more than mere tolerance.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt challenges us to reach out to others in mutual trust and understanding, and so to build a unity that sees diversity not as a threat, but as a potential source of enrichment and growth,\u201d he said, adding that it also serves as a challenge to \u201ccultivate an openness of heart that views others as an avenue, not a barrier.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pope Francis met with the interreligious leaders on his second day in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which is the second phase of his Nov. 27-Dec. 2 tour of Asia. He was in Burma Nov. 27-30.<\/p>\n
So far, the Pope has been outspoken on the need for peace and healing, specifically in Burma, and has stressed the importance of interfaith dialogue, praising the strides Bangladesh has made in this area.<\/p>\n
The theme of interreligious unity has been a major talking point of the Pope’s visit to both countries, as Burma is a majority Buddhist nation and Bangladesh is majority Muslim. In Bangladesh, 86 percent of the population practices Islam. The 375,000 Catholics there represent less than 0.2 percent of the total population.<\/p>\n
Pope Francis arrived to the interreligious encounter in a rickshaw. He listened to testimonies from five leaders representing different religious communities in Bangladesh, including Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Anglicans and Catholics. Among the Catholics who spoke were a layman and Cardinal Patrick D’Rozario CSC, Archbishop of Dhaka, who is the first Bangladeshi cardinal, appointed by Francis in 2016.<\/p>\n
Around 18 members of the Rohingya Muslim community were also present, including a 5-year-old child. The Pope greeted them individually at the end of the event, listening as they each briefly explained their stories through an interpreter.<\/p>\n
With an increase in persecution in their home country of Burma more than 600,000 Rohingya have fled across the border to Bangladesh, and are living in refugee camps. The crisis, which boiled over ahead of the Pope’s trip, has been a focal point of the visit.<\/p>\n
In his speech to the interfaith leaders, Francis said there are three essential elements of the \u201copenness of heart\u201d that allow us to really encounter others: a door, a ladder and a path.<\/p>\n
The door, he said, \u201cis not an abstract theory but a lived experience\u201d which enables one to have real dialogue, \u201cnot a mere exchange of ideas.\u201d And going through this door requires \u201cgood will and acceptance,\u201d he said, but stressed that this attitude is \u201cnot to be confused with indifference or reticence in expressing our most deeply held convictions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pope Francis then turned to the image of the ladder, saying it is one \u201cthat reaches up to the Absolute.\u201d By looking to this transcendent aspect of interreligious activity, he said, \u201cwe realize the need for our hearts to be purified, so that we can see all things in their truest perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finally, he said the path they must take is one that leads \u201cto the pursuit of goodness, justice and solidarity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt leads to seeking the good of our neighbors,\u201d he said, explaining that when religious concern for the good of others comes from an open heart, it \u201cflows outward like a vast river, to quench the dry and parched wastelands of hatred, corruption, poverty and violence that so damage human lives, tear families apart, and disfigure the gift of creation.\u201d<\/p>\n
This spirit of openness, acceptance and cooperation among believers doesn’t just contribute to a culture of harmony and peace, but is \u201cits beating heart.\u201d<\/p>\n
The world desperately needs this heart to beat strongly, he said, in order \u201cto counter the virus of political corruption, destructive religious ideologies, and the temptation to turn a blind eye to the needs of the poor, refugees, persecuted minorities, and those who are most vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much, too, is such openness needed in order to reach out to the many people in our world, especially the young, who at times feel alone and bewildered as they search for meaning in life!\u201d<\/p>\n
Pope Francis closed his speech thanking the leaders for their efforts to promote a culture of encounter among the different religions in Bangladesh, and prayed that they would help all believers \u201cto grow in wisdom and holiness, and to cooperate in building an ever more humane, united and peaceful world.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his greeting to the Pope, Cardinal D’Rozario said the religious harmony that exists in Bangladesh \u201cis rooted in our cultural identity.\u201d The fact that they live peacefully in a multi-religious and multi-ethnic context, he said, is a heritage \u201cwe proudly enshrine in our hearts and we feel so much pain when this sacrosanct heritage is attacked and harmony is disturbed.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said Bangladesh continues to \u201cmarch forward\u201d with the hope of building up humanity through integral development and care of the planet, and voiced the Church’s commitment to \u201ccherish harmony and love peace\u201d in the nation.<\/p>\n
Francis was also greeted by five leaders of the different religious communities in Bangladesh, including Grand Imam and Mufti of Bangladesh, Farid Uddin Masud, on behalf of the country’s Muslim community; Swami Dhruveshananda Adhyaksha on behalf of the Hindu community, and Sanghanayaka Suddhananda Mahathero on behalf of the Buddhist community, among others.<\/p>\n
In his greeting, Imam Masud said the world today needs compassion and love more than anything else.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only remedy and solution to the problem of malice, envy and fighting among nations, races and creeds lies in the compassionate love preached and practiced by the great men and women of the world,\u201d he said, and praised Pope Francis for his \u201ctireless efforts\u201d on behalf of the oppressed, regardless of religion, caste or nationality.<\/p>\n
The Muslim community in Bangladesh, he said, \u201cpay our tribute and show respect\u201d to Pope Francis for his attention not only to the Rohingya, but to people of all faiths, adding that the Pope’s role in promoting world peace \u201cdeserves our wholehearted respect.\u201d<\/p>\n
On his part, Swami Dhruveshananda Adhyaksha, representing the Hindu community, said that while the religions of those gathered may be different, \u201cthe objective is the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust as all the rivers which originate from different sources blend into the same ocean, so all religions, though different, lead to the same beatitude,\u201d he said, adding that \u201cwe have the duty to remain firm in the ideals we believe in, showing due respect for others.\u201d<\/p>\n
Likewise, Sanghanayaka Suddhananda Mahathero, Chief Patriarch of the Buddhists of Bangladesh and President of Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha, said the Pope’s visit has \u201cushered a new horizon of interreligious harmony among all faiths\u201d in Bangladesh.<\/p>\n
He said he has been moved by Francis’ \u201cdeep sense of kindness and compassion\u201d toward the marginalized, and that the image of Pope Francis washing the feet of young African refugees is something that constantly stays in his mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Holy Father has achieved greatness,\u201d he said, explaining that Bangladesh is committed to religious cooperation.<\/p>\n
Affirming the sentiments of Bangladeshi president Abdul Harmid, who in yesterday’s speech to the Pope said the country has a \u201czero tolerance\u201d policy on violent interreligious conflict, the Buddhist leader said \u201cwe gather here to invoke with one voice the blessings of peace and fraternity in our country.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the testimonies, the encounter closed with a prayer recited by Anglican Bishop Philip Sarkar, who asked for strength to fight together against the evils of discrimination, division and corruption in Bangladesh.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are many people today in our world who are the victims of terrorism, conflicts, oppression and exploitation,\u201d he said, noting that religious and ethnic minorities all over the world are suffering hatred and discrimination, and pointing to the Rohingya crisis in neighboring Burma as an example.<\/p>\n
He prayed that world leaders and those who have authority would be guided by \u201cwisdom and kindness\u201d so as to wield their power in service to their people with love and attentive care.<\/p>\n
Sarkar then pointed to the \u201chypocrisy and pride\u201d each of the religions present at times display, saying \u201cwe misunderstand and hate people of other faiths and create suspicion with each other. We don’t know how to respect other religions and people of other faiths.\u201d<\/p>\n
He asked forgiveness for this, and prayed that God would help them to realize the depth of his love in order to \u201clove others and live in service for others, but not judge others because of their faith or creed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The bishop closes his prayer asking that the interfaith leaders would be led by a spirit \u201cof love and wisdom\u201d in order to \u201cshow the path of true light and true life in this confused and dark world.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Tags:<\/b>\u00a0Catholic News<\/a>,\u00a0Interreligious dialogue<\/a>,\u00a0Pope Francis<\/a>,\u00a0Pope in Bangladesh<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_empty_space][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/4″][vc_single_image image=”9536″ img_size=”large”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/4″][vc_column_text] By\u00a0Elise Harris Vatican City, Dec 1, 2017 \/ 05:34 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- In an encounter with interfaith leaders in Bangladesh, Pope Francis stressed the need to join together in promoting mutual respect and combating religiously-justified violence, saying this cannot be achieved through mere tolerance, but requires real knowledge and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9536,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[153],"tags":[188,807,193,808],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n