KARACHI: ‘The church has consistently been promoting the culture of dialogue within Pakistan.
Dialogues build bridges and peace builds nations,’ said Naveed Anthony, the Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Assembly.
He was speaking at a conference on interfaith dialogue organised by the Catholic Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism (CCIDE) Pakistan at the St Patrick’s High School on Monday.
‘I stand before you as the first non-Muslim, Catholic deputy speaker of a provincial assembly of Pakistan. It is about participating, it is about representation and it is about equal opportunities,’ the deputy speaker added.
The conference, which was also attended by a delegation from the Vatican’s office of Interreligious Dialogue, celebrated the 40th jubilee of CCIDE Pakistan while providing a chance to review the vision of ‘Nostra aetate’ through a Pakistan perspective.
While explaining, Cardinal Joseph Coutts said Nostra aetate is the Second Vatican Council’s landmark 1965 declaration on theCatholic Church’s relationship with non-Christian religions promulgated by Pope Paul VI on Oct 28, 1965. It marked a historic shift away from historical hostility and isolationism toward dialogue, mutual respect and interfaith cooperation.
‘It is now over 60 years since the declaration. Today, with so many countries in conflict, some say that it is the start of World War III in slow motion,’ the Cardinal said.
‘We are not making much progressinlookingateachotherasereations of one God,’ he regretted. ‘The United Nations was created as a symbol of peace and harmony after World War II but with so much fighting all around, especially in Palestine, humanity has still not learned how to live in peace,’ he added.
Reverend Father Markus Solo Kewuta, Society of the Divine Word, Indonesian Divine Word Missionary Priest serving at the Dicastery at the Vatican said that he came to Pakistan to learn of the problems of the various faiths here. ‘For 20 years now I have been working in the central office of the Catholic Church, which carries all Muslim brothers and sisters in high regard, he said. ‘If we belong to different religions, at least we share humanity,’ he added.
He said that he has been speciallysent to Pakistan by the Vatican to get an insight on the mission of CCIDE Pakistan. ‘You may look at us as pilgrims of hope from the Catholic Church who are here to work with you to promote peace and love. Let us unite our efforts and convictions for peace, which is always possible,’ he said.
Reverend Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage of Sri Lanka, who serves as Secretary of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue at the Vatican, said that their work involves looking into the causes of human suffering and coming up with peaceful solutions. ‘And suchinterfaithconferences and dialogues are an answer. A peaceful heart can build a peaceful world by awakening human values of compassion for giving respect and finding justice,’ he said.
Chairman of CCIDE Pakistan Yousaf Sohan, the Bishop of Multan, said that through our institutions and educational systems, we should acknowledge our differences and encourage solidarity.
‘Acknowledging each other’s differences encourages tolerance and mutual respect along with having the courage to address discrimination while building a society in which everyone can live with dignity,’ he said.