By Matters India Reporter

Trichy, October 26, 2019: Franciscans are reviving church’s forgotten mission—interreligious dialogue in India, said Capuchin Father Nithya Sagayam, coordinator of the Association of Franciscan Families in India (AFFI).

This year, the Franciscans mark the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi meeting the Muslim Sultan Al Malik Al Kamil of Palestine, Syria, and Egypt in 1219.

All the citizens of this country are sisters and brothers. India is always proud of its unity in diversity. Though there are disputes and struggles to exercise this unity, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and others come together. This is an effort to promote peace, harmony, and brotherhood in the present context of political scenario that is marked by growing religious bigotry. To this end, the Franciscan brothers, Capuchins and the Sisters organized a seminar on inter-religious meet to live in peace and harmony, Father Sagayam told Matters India.

One such initiative he organized at Amalashram, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, October 20 to promote peace and harmony among different religions.

“As far as we can know based on the historical record, this was the first-ever meeting of its kind. Never before had two such powerful (or holy) people from their respective faiths meet in a spirit of peace and understanding,” Father Sagayam said.

The October 20 program began with oath-taking to live in peace and harmony. The religious leaders from Christianity, Jainism, Islam, Buddhism, Brahma Kumaris, and the Franciscan major superiors gave input sessions on the importance of coming together accepting the beauty of respecting the faith of one another.

Article 25(1) of the Constitution says “all persons,” not just Indian citizens, are equally entitled to the freedom of conscience and the right to profess, practice and propagate religion freely. All need to celebrate the difference of faith each citizen professes, said Father Sagayam.

Archbishop Emeritus of Madras-Mylapore Malayappan Chinnappa was the chief guest. More than 1000 Franciscans participated in this great event.

A phenomenon of difference and hatred towards other religions is systematically perpetuating day by day through media propaganda, hate speeches, mob violence by youth, men and women. Religious extremism is on the increase, directly and indirectly, the prelate said.

“Positive, affirmative and pro-active response looks weak today. Unless there is a strong revival of religious harmony both individually and collectively, we are running at a great risk. This will certainly affect our basic existence, let alone the future of the religious presence, apostolates through our education, medical and social welfare ministries,” Archbishop Chinnappa said.

After Vatican II, the Church in India was internationally acclaimed for its vibrancy on the revival of the Church leaders and the laity very systematically in all spheres. A major expression of this vitality was the mission of the Church in India in building up a rapport on interreligious and intercultural harmony and fellowship.

This enabled the country to have a broader scope of growth in socio-economic and even political spheres. The Episcopal Commissions for dialogue brought together the religious leaders, men, and women of faiths including youth and children.

This spirit of dialogue that began in the 1960s went up too early 1990s. With less than 2% of the total population, the Catholic Church in India could command respect, dignity, and leadership through dialogue. Unfortunately for a lengthened period, activities of interreligious dialogue were almost nil.

This has resulted in misunderstanding and indifference and even hatred toward other religions and it is growing strong in the country. Fanaticism and fundamentalism are spreading fast, while the Church at large seems less responding to this growing threat to the survival of religious minorities, said Father Sagayam.

St. Francis was a pioneer in this interreligious dialogue with his meeting of the Sultan Al-Malik. So, this year Franciscans all over the country are reviving this forgotten mission of the Church as they celebrate the 800th anniversary of this historic meeting.

The Franciscans in India numbering to around 50,000 with 54 Franciscan Religious Congregations organize four programs at the national level on themes such as formation, leadership training, updates on current issues, empowerment of women and children, concern for the poorest of the poor, and peacebuilding.

In this whole year, the Franciscans in India focus on dialogue and peacebuilding. The Franciscan major superiors of India along with those of Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh met together in Bangkok, Thailand to commemorate the 800th anniversary under the auspices of South Asian Franciscan Initiatives (SAFI) in August, 18-25 focusing on triple dialogue with God, with the poor and with the whole creation.

In continuation of this, the Franciscans in these countries have organized many interreligious gatherings, bringing both people and religious leaders with seminars, conferences, cultural programs followed by meal fellowship.

Several interreligious programs are also held in the schools and colleges run by the Franciscans with essay writing, cultural festivals with dance, skits, and speeches.

Interreligious leaders belonging to Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism, Brahma Kumaris addressed the public with the central messages of God Search and working for justice, peace through holistic welfare of the least and the last as the predominant mission today.

In Pakistan, the Franciscans involved the ministers and government officials to commemorate the event. In India, there was a national residential training (September. 25-29) organized by AFFI, focused on the formators on carrying out the mission of dialogue begun by St. Francis through the lens of Pope Francis.

There are several similar programmes organised in Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The Tamil Nadu AFFI organized these interreligious meetings with public gatherings at the zonal level in Chennai, Coimbatore, Dindigul, and Trichy.

In each of these programs around 2000 participants from all religions came together. In all these meetings the Franciscans focused on the following core principles to spend time to learn about one’s religion and also to learn about other religions; take oath in the meeting to live and work for justice and peace in society; to reach out to the persons of other religions on their festivals and show our solidarity and have interreligious gathering to show solidarity on the occasion of other religious festivals like Diwali (festival of light), Christmas, and Ramadan.