by J.B. Vu

The course helps Christians to act as a “bridge” with believers of other religions. Through daily contacts in families and society, participants study the forms, organisation and activities of interfaith dialogue of the Catholic Church.

Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) – The Archdiocese of Saigon launched on Saturday a training course titled ‘The practice of inter-religious dialogue’, which focuses on the Church’s teachings on dialogue. Open to Catholics and non-Catholics alike, the course sees interfaith dialogue as an opportunity for people of different religious background to get to know each better. The goal is not to have people discuss different points of faith or politics, but to explore God’s actions among our brothers and present Jesus’ love for everyone.

The initiative is also designed to provide Christians with a venue where they can act as a “bridge” with believers of other religions. Through daily contacts with members of other religions in families and society, participants can learn about the forms, organisation and activities related to dialogue of the Catholic Church.

The archdiocese had first offered the course in 2009 for Buddhists, Cao Dai followers, Protestants and Muslims. Members of its interfaith committee visited places of worship, where they met representatives of other religions. The goal was to enrich one’s life experience whilst living in harmony with brothers and sisters who have different beliefs from Catholics.

Now the group for interfaith dialogue has more than 200 members, including Redemptorist, Jesuit and Dominican clergymen as well as nuns and members of the laity.

“After visiting and meeting with Superior Buddhist monk Thích Giá Toàn, Venerable Thích Giác Hoàng, and Buddhist monks at the Buddhist temple centre, we feel closer to one another. This has left beautiful marks in our hearts,” some brothers from the Saint Joseph Major Seminar said.

According to the teachings of the Vietnamese Catholic Church, “inter-religious dialogue is a component of proclaiming the Good News, especially in contemporary Asian societies. The faithful have an opportunity to learn useful things. Through inter-religious dialogue we learn and understand more of the truth, and grace becomes available to people who are in the secret presence of God” (GLHTCG 856).

This is also true about Muslims, who are present in Ho Chi Minh City in small numbers. They are close to and friends with local Catholics. In Vietnam, Muslims have 40 mosques and 21 “surao” (smaller places of prayer). Mosques are located in Ho Chi Minh City, An Giang, Tiền Giang, Trà Vinh, Long An, Tây Ninh, Bình Phước, Bình Dương, Đồng Nai, Ninh Thuận, as well as Hanoi, home to the Masjid (Mosque) Al-Noor.

Activities associated with interfaith dialogue have given Catholics and non-Catholics an opportunity to study the teachings of the Church and the books of catechism. They have thus become aware and knowledgeable about the new fundamental activities in our society.

• vietnam
• interfaith
• inter-religious
• education
• catholic
• church
• non-catholics
• buddhists
• cao
• dai
• muslims