230th Anniversary of the “Royal Temple of Chetupon (Wat Pho)" celebrated from the  
1st to the 11th of November 2018

Most Venerable Phra Thepweeraporn,

 The Holy Father Pope Francis was pleased to be informed of the grand festival commemorating the 230^th Anniversary of Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho) from 1 to 11 November 2018. Allow me to bring warm greetings and best wishes in the name of His Holiness Pope Francis, along with those of our delegation, to you and to the Sangha Assembly of the Royal Temple Phra Chetuphon as well as all Buddhists in Thailand on this happy occasion. It is an honour and a privilege to be invited to participate in this commemorative event and we sincerely express our gratitude for the invitation.

 The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue esteems the enduring friendship between the Wat Pho and the Catholic Church. The ties of mutual trust and cooperation between us began with the first delegation of Buddhist monks from Thailand on 5 June 1972 when they had an audience with His Holiness, Pope Paul VI. On this occasion the Pope noted “We hope that there will be increasingly friendly dialogue and close collaboration between the traditions that you represent and the Catholic Church” (Insegnamenti, 1972, X, pp. 604-605). One of the three monks of the delegation was Most Ven. Somdej Phra Wanaratana (Pun Punnasiri), former abbot of Wat Phra Chetupon (Wat Pho), who was later elevated to the 17^th Supreme Patriarch of the Kingdom of Thailan. We also vividly remember the recent visit of Ven. Phra Rajratanasunthon and his delegation to the Vatican to present the translations of the Sacred Scriptures Khom of Phra Malai to His Holiness Pope Francis. On this occasion as well, the Pope expressed his sincere appreciation for the Wat Pho. “It is a tangible sign of your generosity and of the friendship that we have shared for so many years, a journey made of many small steps” (To the Buddhist Delegation from Thailand, 16 May 2018).

 Our presence today is a clear sign of our bond of friendship. We take this occasion to thank the Sangha Assembly of Wat Pho for their continued commitment to interreligious dialogue. May our visit today contribute to furthering our ties and build bridges to heal today’s disturbed world plagued by violence, strife, mistrust, and the resulting suffering to millions of people.

 With renewed gratitude for the invitation, we wish you a happy and meaningful cultural and spiritual celebration!

H.E. Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, M.C.C.J

Secretary, Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue

Final Statement - Second Christian-Taoist Colloquium 
Father J.M Beurel Centre, Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Singapore

5-7 November 2018

1. The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID), the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore, and the Taoist Federation of Singapore (TFS) jointly organized the Second Christian-Taoist Colloquium in Singapore from 5-7 November 2018. The theme of the Colloquium was “Christian and Taoist Ethics in Dialogue.” Seventy Christian and Taoist scholars and practitioners of interreligious dialogue mainly from Singapore but also from China, France, South Korea, Malaysia, Switzerland, Taiwan and the Vatican, took part in this event. The participants included a representative each from the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences and the World Council of Churches.

2. Mr. Tan Thiam Lye, Chairman TFS, gave the welcome address and several other representatives offered their greetings. H.E. Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, Secretary PCID, delivered the keynote address.

3. The Colloquium focused on the following topics: Today’s Crisis of Ethics and Hope for Tomorrow; Taoist and Christian Responses to the Crisis of Ethics; Social Institutions and the Transformation of Human Persons; Spiritual Development and Self-Cultivation; Global Ethics and the Interdependency of All Human Beings; Fostering a United and Harmonious Society; and Emerging Orientations for Future Christian-Taoist Engagement. The program also included cultural and interreligious visits to the Taoist Kew Ong Yah Temple, the Catholic Church of the Transfiguration, and the Harmony in Diversity Gallery.

4. Inspired by our spiritual and interdisciplinary exchanges, we the participants agree on the following:

a. We acknowledge that the Second Christian-Taoist Colloquium has helped strengthen our bonds of friendship and nurture our desire for further collaboration.

b. We shared our concerns and hopes for the future.

c. We affirm - because of the fundamental ethical teachings of our religious traditions to do good and avoid evil - that no one can escape the moral responsibility of transforming unjust socio-economic, political, cultural, religious and legal structures.

d. We recognize that today’s crisis of ethics requires a rediscovery of universal values based on social justice, integral ecology, as well as the dignity of human life at every stage and circumstance. Therefore, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) remains a shared fundamental expression of human conscience for our times and offers a solid basis for promoting a more just world.

e. We believe in the capacity of our religious traditions to inspire a multi-faceted response to the challenges of our times. Therefore, it is necessary improve the methods of communication our traditions and stories in a language that is easily understandable.

f. We believe that families, educational institutions, and religious communities are places of spiritual and moral formation where today’s youth can learn to shape tomorrow’s world into a better place.

g. We have seen that interpersonal and scholarly exchanges between our religious traditions enabled us to work together to shape the ethical frameworks needed for the common good of this and future generations.

The participants express their gratitude to institutions and all people, for the warm hospitality, support and friendship that they have experienced.

Christians and Hindus: 

In Defence of the Vulnerable of Society

Message for the Feast of Deepavali - 2018 

Dear Hindu Friends,

The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue sends you most cordial greetings and prayerful good wishes as you celebrate Deepavali on 7 November this year. May the celebrations surrounding this festival strengthen the spirit of friendship and fraternity among you and enhance peace and joy in your families and communities!

We know from news bulletins and web portals, as well as from direct experience, the daily hardships endured by the vulnerable members of our society: the poor, infirm, elderly, disabled, destitute, abandon ed, migrants; those socially, religiously, culturally and linguistically marginalized and excluded; and the victims of abuse and violence, especially women and children. Largely helpless and defenceless, discarded and ignored by a society increasingly indifferent and even callous in the face of human needs and sufferings, the vulnerable everywhere in our time suffer greatly.  It is in this troubling context that we wish to share with you a reflection on how we, Hindus and Christians alike, can engage in efforts to defend, protect and assist them.

The moral duty to care for the vulnerable springs from our shared belief that we are all God's creatures and, as a result, brothers and sisters, equal in dignity, with responsibility for one another. It also stems from the realization that we too at times feel vulnerable, looking for someone to offer us a helping hand. A healthy awareness of our common human condition and our moral duty towards others inspires us to promote their cause by doing all that we can to alleviate their sufferings, defend their rights and restore their dignity.

There is no doubt that, in this regard, many praiseworthy efforts are being made by individuals, groups and communities in different parts of the world.  Yet given the great numbers of the vulnerable, and the complexities often involved in meeting their needs, those efforts can appear no more than a few drops in a great ocean. Still, opportunities for service are all around us, since the vulnerable can be found in every community and society. Greater efforts, inspired by a sense of solidarity, are needed so that they can  feel"the  presence  of  brothersand  sisters who are concerned for them, and, by opening the doors of their hearts and  live s , make them feel like friends and family'' (Pope Francis, Message for the Second World Day of the Poor, 18 November, 2018) In the end, the true measure of civilization of any society is the way it treats its most vulnerable members.

Attentiveness and cooperation are needed, not only to defend the legitimate place and rights of the vulnerable in society, but also to cultivate a culture of care and concern in their regard. In our families too, every effort should be made to ensure that  no one feels  unwanted,unloved,  ignored  or left out.   Every level of society - especially political and government leaders, and those best equipped to provide practical assistance - needs to display a human face and heart to the vulnerable of our society and to reach out to all those suffering marginalization and oppression. Such generosity should not appear as a token gesture, but as one divinely inspired and aimed at the true emancipation and welfare of the vulnerable and the defence of their cause.

As believers grounded in our own respective spiritual traditions, and as individuals with shared concerns for the wellbeing of all, may we join hands with the adherents of other religious traditions and all people of good will, and make collective and concerted efforts to secure a joyful present and a hopeful future for our vulnerable brothers and sisters!

We wish all of you a happy Deepavali!

Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, MCCJ
                     Secretary

The First International Buddhist-Christian Dialogue for Nuns

Fo Guang Shan, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
 14-18 October 2018

1. The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID), in collaboration with Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Monastery, the Association of the Major Superiors of Religious Women in Taiwan and Dialogue Interreligieux Monastique/Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (DIM·MID), organized the First International Buddhist-Christian Dialogue for Nuns at Fo Guang Shan, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, from 14-18 October 2018. The theme of the conference was “Contemplative Action and Active Contemplation: Buddhist and Christian Nuns in Dialogue.”

Seventy nuns from Taiwan, Korea, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cambodia, the Philippines, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Norway, and the United States participated in the conference. There was also a representative from the World Council of Churches.

2. The Most Venerable Hsin Bao, Head Abbot of Fo Guang Shan monastery, gave the welcome address. Several other representatives also offered their greetings, and then H. Ex. Msgr. Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, Secretary of the PCID, delivered the keynote address.

3. The agenda of the conference focused on various items related to the main theme of the dialogue, such as: the origin, evolution and present-day situation of monastic religious life for women in Buddhism and Christianity; Buddhist meditation and Christian contemplation; the service to humanity; religious women promoting the ‘Feminine Genius’.

Ample time was devoted to plenary and small group discussions, one-on-one interaction, as well as attendance at Buddhist chanting and Catholic liturgy. The programme also included visits to the Fo Guang Shan Tsung Lin College, the Buddha Museum, and the Wanchin Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

4. Encouraged by the fruitful outcome of the conference, the participants agreed on the following:

- we acknowledge that the First International Buddhist-Christian Dialogue for Nuns was a landmark to foster mutual understanding and friendship among us as religious women so that we may be able to build bridges connecting our different spiritual paths.

- we recognise that while remaining steadfast in our respective deepest convictions, we can learn from one another how to enrich ourselves spiritually, culturally and socially, and thereby become humble and credible witnesses for our brothers and sisters.

- we believe that our witness to a way of life that can be meaningful and joyful through detachment from consumerism, materialism, and individualism may encourage others to walk on the path of goodness.

- we stress the importance of being contemplatives in the midst of action who work together to show tenderness to those who are in need and bring hope and healing to their lives.

- we believe that interreligious dialogue is a journey that men and women must undertake together. Therefore, we encourage more and more religious women to contribute their “feminine genius” to the realization of new and creative ways of interreligious dialogue and for openness in our communities for this contribution to be received.

- we see the need of supporting students, teachers and parents and other walks of life to be ambassadors of peace and harmony and of empowering them to be a voice in the world inviting humanity to walk on the path of ecological healing and nonviolence.

- we acknowledge that “love is our common language” and that it invites us to go beyond ourselves and embrace the “other” in spite of the differences between us.

- we feel closer to one another when we join hearts and minds as we walk along our respective spiritual paths, and therefore we see the need of continuing this common journey for mutual enrichment and for the betterment of the world.

The participants express their gratitude to the organisers for creating a pleasant atmosphere and for the warm hospitality and friendship that marked this dialogue. They also thank the Civil Authorities, Fo Guang Shan Buddhist monastery, the local Catholic Church and Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages for their generous support in making the First International Buddhist-Christian Dialogue for Nuns a success.

...5. We do indeed have the adequate means and framework so that beautiful words and good wishes may become an action plan of substance that leads effectively to the eradication of hunger in our world. To this end we need joint efforts, upright hearts, and persistent concern to firmly and resolutely make the other’s problem one’s own. And yet, as with other pressing issues that affect humanity, we often encounter immense obstacles to solving problems. We find inevitable barriers that are the fruit of indecision or delays, and a lack of enthusiasm on the part of responsible political leaders who are often absorbed purely by electoral concerns or are focused on biased, transitory or limited perspectives. There is a fundamental lack of political will. What is needed is the willingness to end hunger, and this ultimately will not happen without a moral conviction that is shared by all peoples and all religious persuasions, where the integral good of the person is at the heart of all initiatives and consists in “doing to another what we would want done to ourselves.” We are speaking of an action based on solidarity among all nations and of the means that express the disposition of the people...

Read the whole message:

 http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2018/10/16/0756/01626.html#ing

Press Release: First International Buddhist-Christian Dialogue for Nuns
Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Monastery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

 Seventy Buddhist and Catholic nuns mainly from Taiwan, but also from other countries, namely, South Korea, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cambodia, the Philippines, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Norway, and the United States, will participate in this international dialogue. H.E. Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, (Secretary) and Mons. Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage (Undersecretary, Desk for Buddhism), will represent the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID). Rev. Father William Skudlarek OSB, Secretary General of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue and also Consultor to the PCID, will lead a delegation comprised of fourteen Catholic monastic women from Asia, Europe, and the Americas.  Rev. Dr Simone Sinn will represent the World Council of Churches, Geneva.

The agenda of the First International Buddhist-Christian Dialogue for Nuns includes the following items:

i). Inaugural Session
ii). The Origin, Evolution and Present-day Situation of Monastic Religious Life for Women in Buddhism and Christianity;
iii). Buddhist and Christian Approaches to Active Contemplation and Contemplative Action (Right Mindfulness and Right Conduct);
iv). Buddhist Meditation: Introduction, Discussion, and Practice; Christian Contemplation: Introduction, Discussion, and Practice;
v). The Service of Buddhist and Christian Nuns to Humanity;
vi).  Religious Women Promoting the ‘Feminine Genius’.
vii). Plenary sessions, small group discussions, and one-on-one conversation.
viii). Visits to the Female Buddhist College and the Buddha Museum at Fo Guang Shan.
ix). Attendance at the daily morning chanting and evening prayer of the Fo Guang Shan sangha and the celebration of a daily Eucharist with vespers.
x). Monastic dining.
xi). The concluding panel will focus on Sharing Stories of Buddhist-Christian Solidarity and Envisioning Future Possibilities.
 
This international dialogue seeks to achieve two main objectives:

1. To promote dialogue of spiritual or religious experience: “The dialogue of religious experience, where persons, rooted in their own religious traditions, share their spiritual riches, for instance with regard to prayer and contemplation, faith and ways of searching for God or the Absolute (Dialogue and Proclamation, n. 42).
2. To create more space for women to participate in interreligious dialogue: Pope Francis notes that “Many women are well prepared to take on encounters of interreligious dialogue at the highest levels and not only on the Catholic side. […] Today more than ever, it is necessary that women be present” (To Participants in Plenary Assembly of the PCID, June 9, 2017, n. 3). This dialogue, therefore, seeks to put into practice the words of the Holy Father. 

 The wholehearted and generous cooperation and contribution of the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Holy See and of the Apostolic Nunciature in Taipei greatly facilitated the organization of this important event.