Catholic nuns invite Hindu leader to pray together

(March 7, 2009) In a remarkable interfaith gesture, Carmelite nuns in Reno (USA) invited acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed for dialogue and praying together. Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, prayed from Rig-Veda, the oldest scripture of the world still in common use, dated from around 1,500 BC, with lines from Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), both ancient Hindu scriptures. The nuns prayed from Psalms and Hymnal, and read from Romans in New Testament. According to Sr. Susan Weber, Prioress of Carmel of Our Lady of the Mountains Monastery, it was a joy to meet and share conversation and prayer together. They have decided to make this interfaith dialogue and prayer an annual feature. Zed presented nuns with copies of Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord). Rajan Zed started and ended his prayer with "OM", the mystical syllable containing the universe. After Sanskrit delivery, he then read the English translation of the prayers. Reciting from Brahadaranyakopanishad, Rajan Zed said, "Lead us from the unreal to the Real, from darkness to Light, and from death to Immortality." Nuns repeated after Zed-- "Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti" (Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all).