Vatican City, 19 January 2016 (VIS) – “Interreligious Dialogue and Extremism: reasons and remedies” was the title of the First Arab Thinkers Forum, held in Abu Dhabi from 17 to 18 January at the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research. The only non-Muslim speaker was Fr. Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, who intervened during the first session during which the Grand Mufti of Lebanon, Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan, also gave an address. In the other sessions there were contributions from various figures from the Arab Emirates, Egypt and Morocco. Fr. Ayuso Guixot structured his discourse around five key points: extremism, the culture of encounter, the key role of religious leaders, the need for sincere dialogue and the importance of prayer. He emphasised that it was not his intention to pursue considerations on the economic, political, social and cultural reasons for extremism, well known to those present, preferring to focus instead on Pope Francis’ recommendations to the international community on how to construct peace which can serve to counter extremism. He began by citing the Holy Father’s address to the Diplomatic Corps on 11 January this year, in which he affirmed that “extremism and fundamentalism find fertile ground not only in the exploitation of religion for purposes of power, but also in the vacuum of ideals and the loss of identity – including religious identity – which dramatically marks the so-called West. This vacuum gives rise to the fear which leads to seeing the other as a threat and an enemy, to closed-mindedness and intransigence in defending perceived notions. Yet the greatest challenge we face is that overcoming indifference in order to work together for peace, a good which must constantly be sought, by the promotion of a ‘culture of encounter’. … Pope Francis believes that the motivation for interreligious dialogue must rest in the mutual commitment to peace and justice, thus making them the basic principles for all exchanges”. With reference to the key role of religious leaders, the secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue underlined that “extremist tendencies, irrespective of their origin, are actually among the most dangerous threats to world peace and security”, and are incompatible with a truly religious ethic. Consequently, there is a need for “genuine effort by religious leaders and opinion makers to identify those persons who portray false beliefs and behaviours as part of their religious ideology”. Political leaders “must support this campaign of awareness in order to prevent extremism in society and to lay the groundwork for moderation”, has said, adding that “As religious leaders, we are obliged to denounce all violations against human dignity and human rights. Human life, a gift of God the Creator, possesses a sacred character. As such, any violence that seeks religious justification warrants the strongest condemnation because the Omnipotent is the God of life and peace”. In relation to the need for sincere interreligious dialogue, the prelate underlined that believers are united in the path of life, starting from our own identify for the good of our brothers and sisters. “Every one of us offers the witness of our identity to others and engages in dialogue with others. Then dialogue can move on to theological questions. But even more important and beautiful is to walk together without betraying our own identity, without disguising it, without hypocrisy”. Finally he recalled that “we believers have no recipe for these problems, but we have one great resource: prayer. As believers we pray. We must pray. Prayer is our treasure, which we draw from according to our respective traditions, to request the gifts for which humanity longs”….
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says God looks beyond appearances and into the heart. He was speaking on Tuesday morning during Mass at Casa Santa Marta.
Drawing inspiration from the First Reading of the day that tells of the choice of the young David as king of Israel, the Pope pointed out that even in the lives of the saints there are temptations and sins, as demonstrated by the life of David.
The Lord – he said – rejected Saul “because his heart was closed”, he had not obeyed Him, and He decided to choose another king.
The Pope pointed out that the choice He made was far from human standards since David was the youngest son of Jesse, he was only a boy.
But – he continued – the Lord made it clear to the prophet Samuel that he looks beyond appearances: “the Lord looks into the heart”:
“We are often the slaves of appearances and allow ourselves to pursue appearances: ‘But God knows the truth’. And that is so in this story… Jesse’s seven sons are presented and the Lord does not choose any of them, he lets them pass by. Samuel is in a bit of difficulty and says to Jesse: ‘The Lord has not chosen any of them, are these all the sons you have? And Jesse replied that there was still the youngest, who is tending the sheep’. To the eyes of man this boy did not count”.
He did not matter to men, but the Lord chose him and ordered Samuel to anoint him and “the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David” and from that day on “the whole of David’s life was the life of a man anointed by the Lord, chosen by the Lord” the Pope said.
So – Pope Francis asked – “Did the Lord make him a saint?” No, is the answer – he said: “King David is saint King David, this is true, but he became a saint after living a long life” a life during which he sinned:
“A saint and a sinner. A man who managed to unite the Kingdom, he was able to lead the people of Israel. But he fell into temptation … he committed sins: he was also a murderer. To cover up his lust, the sin of adultery… he commissioned a murder. He did! Did saint King David commit murder? When God sent the prophet Nathan to point this reality out to him, because he was not aware of the barbarity he had ordered, he acknowledged his sin and asked for forgiveness.”
Thus – Pope Francis continued – “his life went on. He suffered personally following the betrayal of his son, but he never he never used God for his own purpose”. And he recalled that when David was forced to flee from Jerusalem he sent back the ark and declared that he would not use the Lord in his defense. And when he was insulted – the Pope said – David would say to himself: “It’s what I deserve”.
And then, Francis noted, “he was magnanimous”: he could have killed Saul “but he did not do so.” Saint King David, a great sinner, but a repentant one. “The life of this man moves me” – the Pope said – it makes us think of our own lives.
“We have all been chosen by the Lord to be Baptized, to be part of His people, to be saints; we have been consecrated by the Lord on the path towards sainthood. Reading about this life, the life of a child – no… not a child, he was a boy – from boyhood to old age, during which he did many good things and others that were not so good. It makes me think that during the Christian journey, the journey the Lord has invited us to undertake, there is no saint without a past and no sinner without a future”.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Cardinal George Pell, the Prefect of the Secretariat for the Econony, announced on Sunday the Holy See is taking steps to “slave-proof” the Vatican supply chain.
The Cardinal was speaking in Rome during a meeting of The Global Foundation, an Australian organization which brings together business and government leaders.
“I am pleased to confirm that the Vatican itself will commit to slavery-proofing its own supply chains and I hope that today’s announcement will serve as encouragement for others to follow suit,” Cardinal Pell told the gathering.
At the same meeting, the Consumer Goods Forum – a consortium of major companies including Carrefour, Barilla, and Nestle – announced it had passed a resolution to “eradicate” forced labour from their supply chains.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) A precious treasure from the Rome Church of San Gregorio al Celio was brought back home on Monday after spending a week on loan to Canterbury Cathedral for a meeting of worldwide Anglican leaders there.
The head of a crozier, or pastoral staff, associated with St Gregory the Great, has been on display in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral, alongside a rare 6th century book of the Gospels given by Pope Gregory to St Augustine as he set off on his mission to take the Christian faith to England. The manuscript is the oldest surviving Latin illustrated Gospel book and one of the most ancient European books in existence.
Appropriately, the relic of St Augustine was returned to Rome at the start of the annual week of prayer for Christian Unity. Accompanying it on its journey to England was Australian missionary Fr Robert McCulloch, who currently serves as Procurator General of the Society of St Columban. He talked to Philippa Hitchen about the significance of the Roman relic on display alongside the precious Augustine Gospel…
Listen:
Fr Robert says it’s important to note the relic associated with St Gregory is returning from Canterbury to Rome on the day that we mark the beginning of the week of prayer for Christian unity. Through this object, he says, we can “recapture the missionary link” in common faith, history and heritage between Catholics and Anglicans.
Fr Robert notes that this year also marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Anglican Centre in Rome, following the first official meeting of an Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey, to Pope Paul VI. He talks about the important ministry over the past 50 years of linking the Roman Catholic Church with the Anglican Church, of “maintaining a fraternal, ecumenical and deeply spiritual presence” of the Anglican Church in Rome.
The Centre, he says, also organises courses which allow participants to experience Rome and the Catholic Church in a deeper way. He gives the example of the Anglican bishop of Hyderabad in Pakistan who attended one such course last auturmn and told Fr Robert he was able to see Rome “not just with his eyes, but with his heart”.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Cardinal Pietro Parolin has expressed his support for the work of a Foundation dedicated to the construction of a world economic system at the service of an integral development.
The Vatican Secretary of State was speaking on Monday at a round table-meeting organized by the Global Foundation on the theme “Rejecting the globalisation of indifference – towards a more inclusive and sustainable global economy”.
The meeting took place on 17 and 18 January in Rome.
Please find below the full text of Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s speech:
Ambassador McCarthy,
Mr Howard,
[Your Eminences,]
Excellencies,
Distinguished Authorities,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am delighted to be able to attend, even if only briefly, this round-table meeting organised by the Global Foundation. In keeping with the title of this gathering: “Rejecting the globalisation of indifference – towards a more inclusive and sustainable global economy”, your purpose is to seek a “more inclusive and sustainable global economy”, which might stand in contrast to the “globalisation of indifference”. This is one of the initiatives which expresses the Global Foundation’s commitment to being a privileged place of dialogue between major economic and political players, as well as a catalyst for ideas for the construction of an economic system at the service of integral economic development. I thank you sincerely for the kind invitation and I bring you the good wishes of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, and share with you his hope that this round-table might open up areas of reflection and offer meaningful paths of action on the topic in hand.
From the beginning of his Pontificate, faced with the many difficulties which afflict the world, the Pope has not failed to make clear, with real emphasis, the grave consequences of indifference and of the lack of responsibility. Today’s meeting is thus in tune with the teaching of the Pope, who constantly calls for all people to commit themselves, freely and responsibly, to correcting an economy which causes exclusion and inequality. He invites the rich and the poor, the powerful and simple folk, politicians and entrepreneurs to put the creative power of human intelligence at the service of the common good, with a spirit of solidarity and – I would add – mercy.
Without forgetting how much has been done in these first years of the third millennium to help people escape from extreme poverty, Pope Francis continues to underscore his conviction that much more still needs to be done, and that in times of crisis and economic hardship a spirit of global solidarity must not be lost. It goes without saying – the Holy Father points out – that part of this great effort is the creation and distribution of wealth. Since the right use of natural resources, the proper application of technology and the harnessing of the spirit of enterprise are essential elements of an economy which seeks to be modern, inclusive and sustainable. That will be possible, having in mind the definition of justice of the Roman jurist Ulpian and of St Augustine of Hippo – “Iustitia est constans et perpetua voluntas ius suum cuique tribuendi” (Justice is the constant and perpetual will to render to every man his due), which the Pope quoted in his address to the United Nations on 25th September 2015, with reference to the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, in order to say to those responsible for global affairs that our world demands of all government leaders a will which is effective, practical and constant, concrete steps and immediate measures for preserving and improving the natural environment and thus putting an end as quickly as possible to the phenomenon of social and economic exclusion .
Even if the aim of this round-table is not so much to provide definitive solutions, which are more the fruit of shared political action, I am convinced that this gathering will be an important space for encouraging an increase in global awareness of the serious problems of environmental degradation and exclusion. It will thus provide a stimulus to strengthen the action which has already begun, and is starting to show positive and enduring results.
With these brief considerations, I reiterate the wish that these days might bring forth worthwhile contributions to encourage an economy which is increasingly at the service of our common home, which is the world as a whole. Thank you.
(from Vatican Radio)…