Editorial - Know your facts
03.09.2009
I received more mail over Professor Terry Lovat’s article in the July issue of The Far East than any other article in seven years (God is a specialist – July page 11-13).
Popes Benedict XVI and the late John Paul II expressed publicly that inter-religious dialogue is an essential part of Catholic life. When we disagree fiercely among ourselves, how do we dialogue constructively with ‘our own’? If we can’t achieve understanding with ‘our own’ how can we achieve it with people of other faiths?
I think there are several key issues: Know the facts - what is essential to Catholic faith. Know that stating one faith is as good as another is a secular, not a Catholic view, but it does not prevent us learning from one another.
Use guidelines - the Australian Government has produced Guidelines for Multi-faith Gatherings. And many governments recognise the key role that religions have in peace-making. The Catholic Church has produced booklets with guidelines for Christian-Muslim relations in dioceses in Australia and New Zealand.
People will disagree. But we have to learn to live together both in our Church and also in our world.
I want to thank the people who wrote to me expressing disappointment or outrage out of love for the Catholic faith they hold dear to their hearts. Don’t let anyone get away with anything – including me. But in doing so make sure your comments are clear-headed and factual.
Fr Gary Walker
TFE@columban.org.au
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