Buddhist-Catholic dialogue focuses on suffering, liberation, and fraternity

June 24, 2015

Forty-six Buddhists and Catholics from the United States have traveled to Rome for six days of dialogue devoted to suffering, liberation, and fraternity.

“Catholic-Buddhist interreligious dialogue in the USA, which in the past focused largely on developing mutual understanding, seeks with this new form of dialogue to build upon the traditional form by fostering interreligious collaboration to address the social problems faced by people in our communities,” Anthony Cirelli, associate director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, explained in a blog post.

Addressing the participants, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, called the meeting “a sign of our openness towards one another and our commitment to human fraternity,” as well as part of “our ongoing quest to grasp the mystery of our lives and the ultimate Truth.”

The participants met with Pope Francis on June 24. “In this historical moment so wounded by war and hatred, these small gestures are seeds of peace and fraternity,” the Pope said. “Thank you so much, may the Lord bless you.”

 

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Further information:

• Buddhists, Catholics begin new dialogue on 'suffering, liberation, fraternity' (Vatican Radio)
• New U.S. Catholic-Buddhist “Dialogue of Fraternity” Begins Today in Rome (USCCB Blog)
• Udienza ai partecipanti all’incontro di dialogo tra Buddisti e Cattolici degli Stati Uniti d’America, 24.06.2015 (Holy See Press Office)