Meeting with representatives of other religions in the Chapter Hall of St. Mary’s
Cathedral in Sydney. Discourse of the Holy Father (excerpts)
Dear Friends, I
extend cordial greetings of peace and goodwill to all of you who are here representing
various religious traditions in Australia. Grateful for this encounter, I thank Rabbi
Jeremy Lawrence and Sheikh Shardy for the words of welcome which they expressed in
their own name and on behalf of your respective communities. Australia is (…)
is a nation that holds freedom of religion in high regard. Your country recognizes
that a respect for this fundamental right gives men and women the latitude to worship
God according to their conscience, to nurture their spirits, and to act upon the ethical
convictions that stem from their beliefs. A harmonious relationship between religion
and public life is all the more important at a time when some people have come to
consider religion as a cause of division rather than a force for unity. In a world
threatened by sinister and indiscriminate forms of violence, the unified voice of
religious people urges nations and communities to resolve conflicts through peaceful
means and with full regard for human dignity. One of the many ways religion stands
at the service of mankind is by offering a vision of the human person that highlights
our innate aspiration to live generously, forging bonds of friendship with our neighbours.
At their core, human relations cannot be defined in terms of power, domination and
self-interest. Rather, they reflect and perfect man’s natural inclination to live
in communion and accord with others. The religious sense planted within the human
heart opens men and women to God and leads them to discover that personal fulfilment
does not consist in the selfish gratification of ephemeral desires. Rather, it leads
us to meet the needs of others and to search for concrete ways to contribute to the
common good. Religions have a special role in this regard, for they teach people
that authentic service requires sacrifice and self-discipline, which in turn must
be cultivated through self-denial, temperance and a moderate use of the world’s goods.
(…) Friends, these values, I am sure you will agree, are particularly important
to the adequate formation of young people, who are so often tempted to view life itself
as a commodity. They also have an aptitude for self-mastery: indeed, in sports, the
creative arts, and in academic studies, they readily welcome it as a challenge. (…)
In this regard, both faith schools and State schools could do even more to nurture
the spiritual dimension of every young person. In Australia, as elsewhere, religion
has been a motivating factor in the foundation of many educational institutions, and
rightly it continues to occupy a place in school curricula today. The theme of education
frequently emerges from the deliberations of the Interfaith Cooperation for Peace
and Harmony, and I warmly encourage those participating in this initiative to continue
the conversation about the values that integrate the intellectual, human and religious
dimensions of a solid education. (…) Men and women are endowed with the ability
not only to imagine how things might be better, but to invest their energies to make
them better. We are conscious of our unique relationship to the natural realm. If,
then, we believe that we are not subject to the laws of the material universe in the
same way as the rest of creation, should we not make goodness, compassion, freedom,
solidarity, and respect for every individual an essential part of our vision for a
more humane future? Yet religion, by reminding us of human finitude and weakness,
also enjoins us not to place our ultimate hope in this passing world. (…) The universality
of human experience, which transcends all geographical boundaries and cultural limitations,
makes it possible for followers of religions to engage in dialogue so as to grapple
with the mystery of life’s joys and sufferings. In this regard, the Church eagerly
seeks opportunities to listen to the spiritual experience of other religions. We
could say that all religions aim to penetrate the profound meaning of human existence
by linking it to an origin or principle outside itself. Religions offer an attempt
to understand the cosmos as coming from and returning to this origin or principle.
Christians believe that God has revealed this origin and principle in Jesus, whom
the Bible refers to as the “Alpha and Omega” (cf. Rev 1:8; 22:1). My dear friends,
I have come to Australia as an ambassador of peace. For this reason, I feel blessed
to meet you who likewise share this yearning and the desire to help the world attain
it. Our quest for peace goes hand in hand with our search for meaning, for it is
in discovering the truth that we find the sure road to peace (cf. Message for World
Day of Peace, 2006). Our effort to bring about reconciliation between peoples springs
from, and is directed to, that truth which gives purpose to life. Religion offers
peace, but more importantly, it arouses within the human spirit a thirst for truth
and a hunger for virtue. (…)
The full text of the Holy Father's discourses
are available on the Holy See's website: www.vatian.va, and in the vatican newspaper
"L' Osservatore Romano"