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COLUMNISTS
DOHA
EDUCATES AND
INTER-FAITHS
By
Raheel Raza ( writing from: Doha, Qatar)
 “What happens
when you bring six US Ivy league universities and set them up
in the desert? You get Education City – new frontiers in higher
education for the Gulf region located in Qatar. You also get
students and faculty from all over the world and a mixture of
faiths and nationalities that Doha cutely calls MULTI-VERSITY.
What’s unusual
about this Emirate in the Gulf region is that they’ve used
their gas and oil resources to invest in education and
interfaith dialogue at a very high level. Interfaith dialogue
as a first in a Gulf country was initiated by the Emir of
Qatar 6 years ago because he felt that religious conflicts
around the world made it necessary for followers of religions
to be involved in interfaith dialogue. About 86 delegates from
all over the world attended the first conference and today
they are preparing for the 7th conference of
interfaith dialogue later this year. There is a Patriarch in
Doha as well as other
churches including St. Peter and St. Pauls Coptic Orthodox
church in a Gulf nation. Last year the first Catholic Church
opened its doors. On a visit to the Islamic Cultural Centre, I
was amazed to hear that the sermon was in English and the two
Imams were Canadian and American! The walls were covered by
writings about the inter-connections between the Abrahamic
faiths plus tours of the mosque. This is a huge move in that
part of the world and very welcoming.
…”
Raheel Raza is
an inter-faith and inter-cultural diversity consultant living
in Mississauga. www.raheelraza.com
Read
the Full Column
Return to table of Contents
A
MODERN MONK
By Leslie
Gabriel Mezei
“Give us that
story of the old Monk, which you told last night to the
youth,” Fr. Terry Gallagher urged the Venerable
Tenzin Priyadarshi
at the Scarboro Missions interfaith
gathering of over fifty people on Saturday, March
7.
 The Dalai Lama
was walking in the garden of the Dharamsala centre in
India, when he came
upon an old Monk trimming the trees. He asked the Monk about
the many years he was jailed by the Chinese in Tibet.
“I was in great
danger,” the old Monk said.
“Your body was
in danger? Your life?”
“Much bigger
danger than that.”
“What could that
be?”
“I was in danger
of losing my compassion for the
Chinese.”
Stunned, we
retreated into silence, contemplating this great forbearance
and wisdom. How to achieve and practice the compassion that is
central to Buddhist faith? He led us in a guided
meditation that demonstrates it. I hope he forgives me for
recording it, so I can bring it to you. … [See full text of the meditation on
the website.]
…
He listened to us and answered many questions. When the
conversation turned to interspirituality, he simply said that
although he was born to a Hindu Brahman family, and became a
Buddhist Monk, he never left Hinduism. In fact, his Buddhist
mentors encouraged him to learn his own tradition. He spent
four years in a Rama Krishna Ashram, learning his Hindu
heritage and the Sanskrit language so he could read the
original texts. A brilliant student, he later studied
philosophy and physics in the West,
…” For pictures of the
Saturday afternoon session, CLICK
Read
the Full Column
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For
more pictures of the Saturday afternoon session, see: http://picasaweb.google.com/LeslieMezei/TenzinPriyadarshiAtScarboroMissions#5311232951317579234
EVENT
REPORTS
THE
VENERABLE TENZIN PRIYADARSHI
RETURN
VISIT TO SCARBORO MISSION
Publisher’s
Note:
The
week-end of March 6-8 were special for Father Terry Gallagher
as he and Scarboro Missions hosted a visit by the
Venerable
Tenzin Priyadarshi, a
student of the Dalai Llama; Director of The Dalai Lama Center
for Ethics and Transformative
Values
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and President of
The Prajnopaya Foundation, a worldwide humanitarian
organization.
By
Kathy Densmore
 “The three
meetings with the Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi were very
different each time. The Friday “Gathering of the
Youth” at Scarboro Missions, Toronto,
was my favorite. The youth asked questions that resonated with
me (as an Elder) on a very personal level. Such as questions
regarding “how to live spiritually while immersed in a
materialistic society” to “how to apply the Golden Rule during
difficult situations”. The questions were fresh and brimming
over with a grounded desire to hear his wisdom on how to live
life.
Saturday
afternoon at Scarboro Missions offered a different flavor. The
adult interfaith community was in attendance and much time was
spent on introductions to the various religions represented
and the work being done by each representative. This was
valuable to me personally as it afforded a broader view of
what Interfaith looks like through Scarborough Missions.
However, this meant the time for Tenzin to speak was
shortened. The questions were few from the group and they were
broader in scope than being on a personal level. The air was
leaning towards more of a political
nature.
Sunday involved
a road trip near the Six Nations Reserve in Brantford
to participate in a “Sacred
Fire”. I believe it was Father Terry Gallagher’s
way of honoring both Tenzin and our hosts by bringing them
together. For my husband and me it was a life-changing
experience. It began with the honour of having Tenzin as a
captured audience in our car for the two-and-a-half hour drive
where conversation flowed freely. Upon our arrival the warmth
and sincerity of our gracious hosts overwhelmed us. We started
with the sharing of a meal provided by them as a welcoming
gesture. Afterwards, we headed to the fire where they began
with the traditional singing of a native song accompanied with
drumming that was in itself transforming. We were then
introduced to the history and meaning of the “Sacred Fire”
from going back to their ancestors to the present-day hope
they have for their youth. Various faiths were represented and
gratitude and hope were the themes that united us all, as was
evident in everyone’s own truth in sharing at the “Sacred
Fire”.”
Return to table
of Contents
TRINITY
INTERFAITH GROUP “ROAD
TRIPS” since December
14/08
Click
the links to view all of the
photos
PUBLISHER’S
NOTE:
I have the pleasure of leading an Interfaith Study Group at
Trinity Anglican Church in Aurora, Ontario, just north of
Toronto. We have been having
group outings since last fall. What follows are mini-reports
and photos of our trips during the winter of 2008-09.
By Terry
Weller
“INTERFAITH
YOUTH & ELDERS WITH TIBETAN MONK 03
09
Members
of the Toronto branch of the World
Interfaith Youth Council met for a discussion with The
Venerable T enzin
Priyadarshi.
The
meeting was held on the evening of March 6, 2009 at the
Scarboro Missions in Toronto. It was led by Father
Terry Gallagher.
Priyadarshi
currently serves as the Director of The Dalai Lama Center for
Ethics and Transformative Values at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.
Also
in attendance were “Elders” from many different cultures and
religious backgrounds. (See Kathy’s essay
above.)
http://picasaweb.google.com/Interfaith.Unity/InterfaithYouthEldersWithTibetanMonk0309#
GOLDEN RULE
MOVIE PREMIER 02 09
A new film on
the Golden Rule Poster, created by Paul McKenna of the
Scarboro Missions, Toronto, was previewed to a
select audience on Sunday, March 1,
2009.
The film was
produced by Tina Petrova, a Toronto film producer. The
idea for the film came out of her production of another
film: Rumi Turning
Ecstatic.
The film is
suitable for all audiences and demonstrates the lessons of the
Golden Rule, also known as the Law of
Reciprocity.
The now famous
Golden Rule poster can be found in many countries of the
world. There is even a copy of it hanging in the United
Nations building in New
York.
http://picasaweb.google.com/Interfaith.Unity/GoldenRuleMoviePremier0209#
SIX NATIONS
INTERFAITH YOUTH HEALING FOR RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS 12
08
In December of
2008 members and elders of the Toronto Branch of the World
Interfaith Youth Council met at the Six Nations Reserve’s
Woodland Centre near Brantford Ontario. The centre is
situated beside the building which  previously had served as a
residential school for native
children.
The school had
operated under the control of the Canadian Government and the
Anglican Church of Canada. The old school building, which now
houses a variety of small businesses and services for the
reserve, was one of many such schools across Canada. For more
than a century, Indian Residential Schools separated over
150,000 Aboriginal children from their families and
communities. In the 1870’s, the federal government, partly in
order to meet its obligation to educate Aboriginal children,
began to play a role in the development and administration of
these schools. Two primary objectives of the Residential
Schools system were to remove and isolate children from the
influence of their homes, families, traditions and cultures,
and to assimilate them into the dominant culture. These
objectives were based on the assumption Aboriginal cultures
and spiritual beliefs were inferior and unequal. Indeed, some
sought, as it was infamously said, "to kill the Indian in the
child". Today, we recognize that this policy of
assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no
place in our country.
One hundred and thirty-two
federally-supported schools were located in every province and
territory, except Newfoundland, New
Brunswick and Prince Edward
Island.
Our
visit in December was twofold: to view an exhibit of art
created by a native artist who had spent 9 years of his
childhood in the Brantford Residential School. The art depicts
the emotional, physical and sexual abuse he endured along with
the other students at the school. The art is his way of
healing the wounds he still carries fifty years
later.
Secondly
we met as a group of over 40 youths and elders from a variety
of different ethnic and religious backgrounds to share and
pray together. This was a form of healing between Europeans
and Natives. The program was led by youthful members of the
Six Nations Reserve who are themselves members of the
Toronto branch of the World
Interfaith Youth Council.
NOTE:
photos of the art exhibit are restricted due to copyright. We
only have permission to share them with the Interfaith
Group.
 FESTIVAL
OF LIGHTS SEASONAL INTERFAITH SERVICE – DEC 14
08
Held
at the Insitute for Traditional Medicine in Toronto.
This is an annual service conducted by Leslie Mezei. Rev. Leslie Gabriel
Mezei is a minister in the Universal Worship, in which all
religions and spiritual traditions are honoured. Long involved
in interfaith and interspirituality activities, he is Founding
Publisher of the Interfaith Unity newsletter and resource
centre (www.interfaithunity.ca )
He is a Holocaust survivor, on a path of spiritual seeking
through a universal form of Sufism, Himalayan Yoga meditation,
Creation Spirituality, etc.
Three musicians
performed: Debbie Danbrook, Japanese Shakuhachi flute; Agha
Ecevit, Turkish Ney bamboo flute; and Bea Castro North
American First People's flute.
http://picasaweb.google.com/Interfaith.Unity/FestivalOfLightsInterfaithSeasonalService120802?authkey=Gv1sRgCIDw4feruY_stQE#
Return to table of Contents
BOOK
REVIEWS
RIGHT
RELATIONSHIP
Building
a Whole Earth Economy
By:
Peter G. Brown and Geof;rey
Garver
ISBN
9781576757628
Description
below written by
Berrett-Koehler
Publishers:
 •
“Outlines a bold new model for a just and flourishing earth
• Analyzes why so many well-meaning reform efforts fall
short
• Explains what everyone can do to make this new
model a reality
Our current economic system—which assumes
endless growth and limitless potential wealth—flies in the
face of the fact that the earth’s resources are finite.
The result is increasing destruction of the natural world and
growing, sometimes lethal, tension between rich and poor,
global north and south. Trying to fix problems piecemeal is
not the solution. We need a comprehensive new vision of an
economy that can serve people and all of life’s commonwealth.
Peter G. Brown and Geoffrey Garver use the core Quaker
principle of “right relationship”—interacting in a way that is
respectful to all and that aids the common good—as the
foundation for a new economic model. Right Relationship poses
five basic questions: What is an economy for? How does it
work? How big is too big? What’s fair? And how can it best be
governed? Brown and Garver expose the antiquated,
shortsighted, and downright dangerous assumptions that
underlie our current answers to these questions, as well as
the shortcomings of many current reform efforts. They propose
new answers that combine an acute awareness of ecological
limits with a fundamental focus on fairness and a concern with
the spiritual, as well as material, well-being of the human
race. Brown and Garver describe new forms of global
governance that will be needed to get and keep the economy in
right relationship. Individual citizens can and must
play a part in bringing this relationship with life and the
world into being.
Ultimately the economy, as indeed life
itself, is a series of interconnected relationships. An
economy based on the idea of “right relationship” offers not
only the promise of a bountiful future but also an opportunity
to touch the fullness of human meaning and, some would say,
the presence of the Divine.”
To
Purchase this book
Return to table of
contents
RESOURCES
INTERFAITH
DIALOGUE ISSUE OF SCARBORO MISSIONS MAGAZINE, JAN-FEB
2009
Reported
by Leslie Gabriel Mezei
“On
the cover: "To those who follow other religions...the Church
wishes to engage with them in an open and sincere dialogue in
search of the true good of humanity and society." Pope
Benedict XVI
 In
"Interfaith Dialogue... Part of
the Church's evangelizing mission," Fr.
Jack Lynch, S.F.M., Superior General of the Scarboro Missions,
explains why it is involved in interfaith or interreligious
dialogue and answers the concerns of some Catholics about this
activity. "I firmly believe in the observation of Pope John
Paul II that interfaith dialogue is not done as a
tactical move of self-interest, but 'is demanded by deep
respect for everything that has been brought about in human
beings by the Spirit who blows where He wills.' (Redemptoris
Missio 56,
1990)" Fr.
Lynch also writes: "God is already present in the
peoples, cultures, and faith traditions of others. God is
present everywhere before us and salvifically active in ways
unknown to us. ... As the Asian Bishops stated in 1978 in
Calcutta concerning dialogue with the great religions of Asia:
'Sustained and reflective dialogue with them in prayer will
reveal to us what the Holy Spirit has taught others to express
in a marvelous variety of ways.' " A 1975 statement of
Pope Paul VI is also quoted: "The Church respects and
esteems these non-Christian religions because they are the
living expression of the soul of vast groups of people.
They
carry within them the echo of thousands of years of searching
for God."
A
new poster is available: "Catholic Milestones in
Interfaith Dialogue" prepared by
what has recently been renamed The Scarboro
Missions Department of Interfaith Dialogue.
There is also a listing of
"Catholics and the interfaith
conversation" and the “Scarboro
Missions Interfaith Mission
Statement.”
- The
"Four Levels of
Dialogue" is worth quoting in full;
it might serve as a model for other
groups:
- the
dialogue of life where
Christians and others live together in a
neighborly spirit, sharing their joys and sorrows, their
problems, and their preoccupations with one
another;
- the
dialogue of deeds where
Christians and others work together in the pursuit of
humanitarian, social, economic, or political
goals;
- the
dialogue of theological exchange were
specialists deepen their understanding of each other’s
spiritual values;
- the
dialogue of religious experience where
Christians and others share with each other their
experiences of searching for the
Absolute.
There
are other features on Thomas Merton, St. Francis and Clare of
Assisi, and on various activities of the Scarboro Missions. www.scarboromissions.ca
1-800-260-4815.”
Return to table of
contents
SOLDIERS
OF PEACE
 “Religions
for Peace–USA commends
Soldiers
of Peace, a new film
by
Steve
Killea, an International Trustee of Religions for
Peace (RFP-USA’s parent organization).
This award-winning documentary illustrates the current
geopolitical state of the world and the ways in which
individuals, communities and governments address global issues
and effect positive change. It features an array of notable
figures, including Sir Richard Branson, Prince Hassan of
Jordan, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Sir Bob Geldof, Hans Blix,
and 'soldiers of peace' from Colombia, Ireland, England, Liberia, Nigeria, Kenya and the United
States.
www.soldiersofpeacemovie.com/about/synopsis.php”
Return to table of Contents
"INTERFAITH
eLERTS"
“Announcing
"Interfaith
eLerts" - a cross-cultural
celebration of sacred days and religious observances . . in
your inbox!
 Created
by Kay & Dave Corby at Common Tables. www.commontables.org
Understanding
is the key to global harmony. And knowledge is the key to
understanding. A FREE subscription to
Interfaith
eLerts brings you a series of
emails which arrive just before, and briefly explain the
importance and observance of many of the world's primary holy
days. (Included are observances from the Baha'i, Buddhist,
Christian, Confucian, Taoist, Hindu, Islamic, Jain, Jewish,
Native American, Shinto, Sikh, and Zoroastrian
traditions.)
Interfaith
eLerts are FREE, there is no obligation of
any kind and you may unsubscribe at any time. To subscribe to
Interfaith e-Lerts, simply follow this
link and complete and submit the subscription form. You
will receive a "confirmation email" with a link to be used to
activate your subscription. Please don't forget to activate
your subscription!”
(Publisher’s
note: the application form asks for more personal information
than I am prepared to give – but I noted that those parts of
the form are optional, so don’t be discouraged, simply
restrict your answers to those you are comfortable in giving.
I have worked with this organization in the past with no
problems. Terry.)
Return to table of Contents
NEWS
TIME
FOR FAITH LEADERS TO STEP UP
Rabbi
Dow Marmur, Toronto Star, February
9
“Contemporary critics of religion tell us that only the poor
and the ignorant believe in God. While organized religion is
declining in the affluent West, the downtrodden in the
Third World are embracing it
with a vengeance. The mischievous implication is that belief
is only for losers who can be fobbed off with vacuous
sermons….
“The current economic downturn should make us question such
complacency. Our search for religious guidance must include a
critique of the existing social order that tends to blind
those who live in it to what's true and important in life.
We've come to sense that the security affluence offers is
ephemeral and that to close our eyes to the greed it breeds is
immoral. That may be behind the recently released open letter
by the moderator of the United Church of Canada in which he
calls on Canadians "to risk truly taking up leadership at this
important moment in history." He wants us "to consider what we
can contribute to transformation, possibility and hope." In an
accompanying pastoral letter he writes that "this is a time
for prophetic and creative leadership." I hope that his
call goes beyond charity. Though voluntary work remains
vitally important, it has always been woefully inadequate in
trying to solve social and spiritual problems, for it has
implicitly colluded with the status quo. To get us out of the
current crisis we need structural changes, not philanthropic
Band-Aids; prophetic passion, not priestly compliance. …..
“One of the few bodies to do so by consistently urging those
in power to live up to their obligations is ISARC, the
Interfaith Social Action Reform Coalition. In the two decades
that it has been my privilege to be involved with it, I've
been moved by its sense of purpose and passion. But I've also
been disappointed by how relatively little support it gets
from its constituents. ….
“The time has come for religious leaders to prove the critics
wrong by exposing our shaky affluence and thus help us all to
renew our faith in God.”
For
complete article, see www.thestar.com/article/598084
Return to table of
Contents
DALAI
LAMA MARKED THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF TIBET'S
UPRISING
 “On
March 9, the Dalai Lama marked the 50th anniversary of
Tibet's
uprising against China.
Here
are three news story concerning the anniversary as well as
Region & Ethics NewsWeekly presenting some background
material.
·
Tibetan
activists rally in Toronto to mark 50th
anniversary of ... -
10
Mar 2009
·
Tuesday
was the 50th
anniversary of riots on March 10,
1959, in Tibet
against Chinese rule that led to a crackdown and the Dalai
Lama's subsequent escape ...
·
The
Canadian Press
- 4439
related articles »
China
clamps down on anniversary of Tibet
uprising - The Associated
Press - 4439
related articles »
Tibet Uprising
Anniversary Marked by Global Protests,
Prayers - Voice of
America - 4439
related articles »
·
Religion
& Ethics NewsWeekly invites you to
Watch
their June 2008 report on political
Buddhism. And read the extended
interview
with
Harvard Chinese history and Confucian studies professor Tu
Weiming.”
Return to table of Contents
POLITICIANS
ATTENDING MEETING IN MUSKOKA
WILL
GET PUSH TO AID THE POOR,
ENVIRONMENT
Mar
19, 2009 04:30 AM
Stuart
Laidlaw
Faith
And Ethics Reporter, Toronto
Star
When
the world's most powerful government leaders gather in cottage
country next year to discuss how to get the global economy
back on track, religious leaders from around the world will be
on hand to push them to remember the poor and the
environment.
"How
can the G8 ignore it if all these voices are speaking
together," asks Rev. Karen Hamilton, general secretary of the
Canadian Council of Churches.
The
Council of Churches is organizing what promises to be the
biggest ever such gathering of religious leaders from around
the world in a counter-conference to coincide with the annual
G8 political leaders' conference planned for the Deerhurst
Resort near Huntsville.
Hamilton
says there will be top representatives from all the world's
major faiths at the counter-conference, including South
Africa's Desmond Tutu and the
Aga Khan. She has also been told the Dalai Lama hopes to
attend, which she says will give the meeting added clout with
the political leaders.
Her
group launches its countdown to the June 25-27 summit tonight
with a public lecture by University of Toronto economist John
Kirton at the Noor Cultural Centre on Wynford Dr. Word of the
event has been spread by the centre through its network of
churches, synagogues, mosques and
temples.
Kirton,
a world-recognized expert on the Group of Eight, says that
while the group of the world's top industrialized nations has
promised many times to address the needs of the poor, it has
only a 47 per cent success rate in fulfilling its own promises
for action.
"They
just need to be held to account," says Kirton, an active
member in the Anglican Church.
Left
to themselves, the G8 leaders have fallen badly behind their
promises to address the needs of the world's poor, he says.
Kirton
points to promises made at successive summits to fight AIDS
and polio in developing countries, for example, while funding
for treatment programs has been cut and the diseases are once
again on the rise. The same can be said for promises on global
warming, hunger and numerous other issues, he
says.
And
with the financial crisis deepening around the world, Kirton
warns, political leaders will be tempted to further cut their
help for the sick and poor in developing countries. He has
not, however, given up on the G8 leaders just yet.
…
EDITOR’S
NOTE: Our
own Raheel Raza is on the Communications Team of the 2010
Interfaith Leaders' Summit.
READ
THE FULL ARTICLE
Return to table of
Contents
INSPIRATION
“On
the question of his own Enlightenment the Master always
remained reticent, even though his disciples tried every means
to get him to talk.
All
the information they had on this subject was what the Master
once said to his youngest son who wanted to know what his
father felt when he became Enlightened.
The
answer was: "A fool."
When
the boy asked why, the Master had replied, "Well, son, it was
like going to great pains to break into a house by climbing a
ladder and smashing a window and then realizing later that the
door of the house was open."”
Anthony
de Mello, a Jesuit priest from India
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DISCLAIMER:
We depend on
contributors and website listings for our information and
cannot guarantee its accuracy. Please confirm with the
contacts listed.
Inclusion of
an event, resource listing or news story in the newsletter or
on the website does not imply an endorsement or recommendation
on behalf of the
publishers.
You are
welcome to FORWARD this to interested persons and
organizations, and to send us their
e-mail
address and name. (We keep the information
confidential.)
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| 
We have these by
the good graces of Judy Csillag who in January attended a
Muslim-Christian’s women’s interfaith dialogue conference in