14th Interfaith Meeting: Dialogue Connecting with Others

The 14th Interfaith Meeting themed of “Dialogue Connecting with Others”, hosted by the Archdiocese of Saigon, was held on October 27, 2024, at the Saigon Pastoral Center.

Participants included Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang; Father Francis Xavier Bao Loc, head of the Interreligious Dialogue Committee; a large number of Catholic priests, brothers and sisters, and faithful; and dignitaries and officials from other religions including Baha’i, Buddhism, Caodaism, Hoa Hao Buddhism, Islam, and Minh Ly.

The program consisted of an opening ceremony and three sections: Religion & Dialogue, Dialogue Experiences, and Prayer for Peace and Victims of Natural Disasters.

After a short recap video of the previous 13 interfaith meetings, Archbishop Joseph delivered his opening remarks, highlighting the significance of the day, as it commemorated 60 years since the establishment of the Secretariat for Non-Christians, now known as the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue; 20 years since the establishment of the Pastoral Institute of the Archdiocese of Saigon; and 15 years since the establishment of the Commission for Interfaith Dialogue.

Speaking about the role of love in interfaith dialogue, Archbishop Joseph mentioned the “interfaith family” of Father Joseph Ha Thien Truc and the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, which led to the dream that each person would be a furnace of love, spreading it warmth, contributing to happiness and peace in the world today.

The hall was full of the faithful from several religions

In the first section, three representatives from different religious traditions delivered talks, including the speech of The Spirit of Dialogue and Religious Harmony According to Baha'i Teachings, presented by Brother Nguyen Van Truong from Baha'i National Spiritual Assembly; The Practice of Interfaith Exchange in Cao Dai, presented by Sister Huong Tram from Cao Dai Tien Thien Academy; Communication Between Followers of Different Religions, presented by Venerable Thich Khong Tu, a psychology lecturer at Van Lang University.

The second section continued with the sharing of experiences in interfaith dialogue, including Minh Ly and Interfaith Dialogue, presented by Sister Huyen Nhu Nhu Tinh; Experiences in Interfaith Dialogue Worldwide, presented by Antonio (Italy) and Rita (Lebanon) of the Focolare Movement; Experiences in Interfaith Dialogue in Vietnam, presented by Bishop Joseph Chau Ngoc Tri, head of the Office for Ecumenical and Interfaith Dialogue of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam.

Father Francis Xavier Bao Loc concluded the meeting after the prayer section for the victims of war and natural disasters, the sick, and their caregivers.

Entering the third section, eight representatives of different religions proceeded to the altar to pray for the victims of war and natural disasters, for the sick, and for those who care for them.

The program concluded with a vote of thanks from Father Francis Xavier Bao Loc and the hymn Prayer for Peace.

Translator: Phan Anh

Commission for Interreligious Dialogue of Saigon

Sources: https://tgpsaigon.net/bai-viet/hoi-ngo-lien-ton-lan-thu-xiv-cua-tong-giao-phan-sai-gon-76094