By Virginia Saldanha

Mumbai, May 3, 2022: We witnessed Fratelli-Sorrelli Tutti in reality when around 200 people of different faiths gathered on the grounds of St. Stanislaus School Bandra, Mumbai. for an Interfaith Iftar Party.

The party was organized by the interfaith group of St. Peter’s Parish (which includes members of other faith in the parish), in collaboration the Collective for Multifaith Dialogue consisting of a group of activists in Mumbai, with the whole hearted support of Jesuit Father Frazer Mascarenhas, the parish priest.

In his opening remarks and welcome to the gathering, Father Frazer referred to the document “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” signed jointly by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in Abu Dhabi in 2019. He pointed out that the document stressed the importance of coming together, which is necessary for the promotion of peace and harmony.

Since in India we are witnessing growing divisiveness and religious intolerance, expressions of fraternity and common living are important. Sharing in an interfaith Iftar meal is one such action to counter these negative forces. Father Frazer informed the gathering that St, Peter’s parish is divided in Small Christian Communities, which he hopes will broaden to become inclusive of people of all faiths or no faith in the neighborhood, to become Small Human Communities to counter the negative forces that seek to divide the country on the basis of caste and religion.

Also welcoming the guests, Brinelle D’Souza who is an academician and an activist, said, “This Iftar is an act of solidarity with our Muslim sisters and brothers who are at the receiving end of deliberate, planned targeting for simply being Muslim. We are seeing how the community is being subjected to increased bouts of violence aimed at punishing, intimidating, and disenfranchising them. To our Muslim sisters and brothers present here and everywhere in the country we state categorically, we stand with you, we resist with you, we dream with you and will collaborate with you to ensure that the country remains faithful to the values enshrined in the Constitution.”

“This Interfaith Iftar is an act of resistance. As persons of faith, as agnostics, atheists and as citizens we will resist and continue to resist every attempt to use religion to ‘other’, divide, subjugate and hegemonize. It is an act of celebration – of our diversity and plurality, our multiculturalism, fraternity, shared human values and constitutional morality,” Brinelle asserted. She pointed out that a group of activists have come together to engage on the issue of religion and constitutional morality. “We welcome you to join our efforts. This Iftar is the beginning of many such conversations that we plan to have in Mumbai with different people across geographies, on faith and the Constitution” she concluded.

Noorjehan Safia Niaz founder of Bharatiya Mahila Andolan, spoke of the significance of Ramzan and the importance of fasting for physical, mental and spiritual health. She also explained the important values of Islam, specially referring to one’s relationship with God and flowing out of that relationship, is harmony with all humans and all living things. She emphasized the care of all, especially the environment. She pointed out that we are all spiritual beings created in the image of God to maintain the harmony of God on earth.

The organizers shared how the process of organizing the Iftar was a learning experience for all of them. It made them reflect, introspect, and question their own attitudes towards people of other faiths. They experienced growth in fraternity that created strong bonds.

A group of young men from the Centre for Promoting Democracy then sang songs of hope harmony and peace.

Every table had 6 squares of cloth and pens of different colours signifying diversity. The gathering was asked to write a prayer for peace and harmony on each piece of cloth. These pieces would later be sewn together to form a quilt of harmony.

A young woman then read a litany of prayers for peace, fraternity and harmony to which everyone answered Amen or Amin.

The preamble of the Constitution was then recited in Hindi, Urdu and English, following which the Church bells rang to usher in the breaking of the fast.

After the meal was done, all were invited to join our Muslim sisters and brothers for their evening namaz. Normally men and women pray the namaz separately, but today they agreed to pray together. Many religious sisters and others joined them.

The whole event was a truly a heart-warming celebration of fraternity and living together. Such events need to be replicated in our city and country, to counter the hate and divisive agenda of a few who seem to have forgotten that we are all created by the same God to enjoy God’s gift of life and the earth, together in peace.

Most Catholic parishes in India have Small Christian Communities (SCCs). When they were conceived and approved by the bishops of India, it was hoped that they become outward looking to include people of others faiths. This would go a long way in bringing peace and harmony in our neighborhoods.

But sadly, most of these SCCs have been neglected and became inward looking, neglecting the social aspect of our faith completely.

The Catholic Church in India could do a great service to the country by making efforts to turn these SCCs around into life giving communities – where peace and harmony flourish.