2012-11-29 17:10:45

Inter Religious Dialogue not an appendix to us, says Cardinal Cleemis


November 29, 2012: “Inter Religious Dialogue is not an appendix to us. It is part of our life”, said India’s newly elevated Baselios Cardinal Cleemis. He was inaugurating CHAVARA LECTURES 2012 on ‘the Challenges and Prospectus of the Church in India in the 21st Century’, on 27th evening at Chavara Institute of Indian and Interreligious Studies (CIIS) in Rome.

Speaking on the occasion he said:
We have in India many challenges, but we also have many positive elements which can sustain us in the coming years. If this small community of Christians in India could win the confidence of millions of people everywhere, that is a great challenge for us. And I must say with deep confidence that Mother Teresa is a shining challenge before us. The small lady could challenge millions of people around the world. If we take her as a symbol of hope, a symbol of possible Christian presence in the entire world, that is a most demanding challenge for us. How could she radiate the presence of God in the midst of those who have not yet heard the name of Jesus? What made Mother Teresa different? What made the difference between traditional proclamation and the new way of presenting the name of Jesus to millions of people by Mother Teresa? Well, millions of people have heard the name of Jesus through this challenging person.
The church in India has so much to do to bring the good news to the people around us.
Inter Religious Dialogue is not an appendix to us. This is part of our life. I was surprised to see those Hindus and Muslims, coming from Kerala, to take part in my consistory. They asked me ‘can we also come?’ If you really want to come, you are welcome (I said). They participated in the liturgy, and they participated throughout, even Imam taking part in the holy Eucharist.
So Interreligious dialogue is not something extra. It is part and parcel of our life. Blessed Chavara really believed in it and he ardently worked for Interreligious dialogue, not as an international conference but as a living reality. Talking to our neighbor is no more a conference; talking to our neighbor is no more a seminar. It is a day to day experience, thereby sharing our mission with them.
You don’t have to create apprehension about interreligious dialogue. We can be ourselves. I am 100 per cent Catholic when I am dealing with Hindus and Muslims, so that there is no syncretism. And they know that I am a Catholic Bishop. There is no danger is such gestures. We believe in Jesus Christ, at the same time respect other people with dignity. They have their own understanding of God. We have the joy of receiving the gospel, receiving the person of Jesus, our master and savior. These we share with them. It is up to you to acknowledge the same way which I do. Receive the joy in us, (we say).
And this is what we are supposed to do in the Church in India. Ours is a continent, ours is like a United Nations, many languages, may attitudes but one nation. And a small community of Christian presence in India can make a big difference. We are only 2.5 per cent, but we are the 2nd biggest agency in India, after the central government, taking care of the health sector.








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