Christmas meeting in Bangladesh boosts dialogue

December 27, 2011: The Bishop of Chittagong in Bangladesh met with the city’s mayor and representatives of other religious groups on Christmas day as part of interfaith efforts aimed at improving dialogue and cooperation.
Holy Cross Bishop Moses M Costa said that a priority of his mission as bishop, since his installation in May, had been to foster better relationships between Christians and people of other religious faiths in the country.
“This is my first Christmas in Chittagong,” he told attendees during the meeting. “From the very beginning until now, I feel that interreligious dialogue is very progressive here. I am very happy to share the joy of Christmas with you all.
The meeting, held at the Bishop’s House on December 25, was ttended by social workers, politicians and diplomats, among others. The prelate added that cooperation and the forging of stronger relationships among Catholics and non-Catholics would be a chief goal of the coming year.
Chittagong mayor Monjurul Alam, during the event, expressed his solidarity with Bishop Costa and his interfaith efforts. Moulana Iqbal Yousuf, a Muslim cleric and director of the Sufi Theory and Research Center, told attendees that the Christmas meeting has become a much-anticipated event each year and one that has helped strengthen interfaith relationships.
“We wait for this gathering, thinking in our minds that our Christmas is coming. The reception brings us closer to the Catholic bishops, religious brothers, nuns and lay faithful. Through the year we continue our friendship,” he said.