Bishop Dabre: Stop Fundamentalism with Dialogue, Following Example of Mother Teresa

(September 06,2008) In response to the violence against Christians in Orissa, the diocese of Vasai celebrated on Friday September 5, the feast of Mother Teresa under the banner of interreligious dialogue. Meetings were scheduled with representatives of all the religions, together with a program on the value of dialogue and encounter among the religions in the schools. Teacher's Day is also celebrated in India on the 5^th of September, recalling the services of a great teacher, Dr. S Radhakrishnan.. It was the initiative of the bishop of Vasai, Thomas Dabre, a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. While inviting groups from various religions for the programme, the Bishop said that on the day dedicated to Mother Teresa, the Teacher's Day is celebrated in the spirit of Mother Teresa, with special prayers and interreligious dialogue in all our schools. Our aim is to teach the school children the importance of dialogue, peace, harmony and understanding among religions,” he said. He added that in his own mission in interreligious dialogue, he is guided by Mother Teresa and she is the motivation never to make discrimination on the grounds of religion, when one attends seminars or even shares the sorrows and joys of people. For the people of India, Blessed Mother Teresa is a wonderful example of interreligious dialogue, he said. Although Mother Teresa was a devout and committed Catholic nun, she was honoured and in fact venerated even during her life by all Indians across religious and cultural divides. Moreover, peoples across the globe of all religions were working with Mother and collaborating with her closely. Her works of charity, compassion, love for the poorest of the poor, transcended the boundaries that have kept the world’s religious faiths either isolated or at odds with one another, he concluded.