Interreligious
Dialogue Urged in Bangladesh
Moral Law Is the Basis, Pope Tells Bishops.
The moral law is the best basis for interreligious cooperation, John Paul II told Bangladesh's bishops, as he made an appeal for Catholic-Muslim dialogue in that Asia country.
"Given the particular situation in which you live, interreligious dialogue is an integral part of your pastoral mission," the Pontiff explained Tuesday to the bishops, who were on their quinquennial "ad limina" visit.
About 88% of Bangladesh's 124 million inhabitants are Muslim. Only 252,000, or 0.2%, are baptized Catholics.
"More
frequent contacts between Christians and Muslims, and greater
understanding of one another's religious traditions and values, should
help to overcome attitudes of suspicion and distrust, and ensure that
Bangladesh's traditions of religious freedom are maintained and
upheld," he said.
The Pope said there is ample room for interreligious cooperation in
"defending the dignity of the human person and the essential role
of the family in the life of society, and in promoting the common
good."
"The best foundation for such cooperation is the moral law
inscribed in the human heart, which is mankind's common treasure and a
fundamental meeting point between peoples of different cultures and
religious traditions," he emphasized.
Bangladesh has a total of 253 priests, 98 seminarians, 1,070
religious, and 6,724 catechists. Over the past five years, the number
of Catholics has grown by more than 10%.
During the Jubilee year, the Church launched two great projects in the
country: the publication of the Jubilee Bible, and the translation of
the Catechism of the Catholic Church into Bengali.
Courtesy : Zenit News Agency
Arun Rozario, OMI, an Oblate Seminarian visited with Pope John Paul II, during the 'Ad Lamina'. Arun is from Dinajpur Cathedral Parish. He is studying in the Gregorian University.