Hindus, Catholics meet for third time

Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, will deliver a keynote address for the third Hindu-Catholic meeting to be held on Saturday, Nov. 11 at the Sri Siva Vishnu Temple in Lanham, Maryland. The theme for the gathering is “Love of Neighbor in the Catholic and Hindu Traditions: Reflections on Nationalism, War & Poverty.”
 
The meeting is co-sponsored by the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
 
The bishops’ ecumenical and interreligious committee is in the process of building stronger relations with the Hindu community in the United States. Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of Springfield, Massachusetts, chair of the committee, affirmed that continued opportunities for encounter and reflection on areas of mutual concern are precious in these socially divisive times.
 
“As the conversation around nationalism, economic inequality and the proliferation of state-sanctioned violence grows increasingly fraught, driven by fear and often willful misinformation, the Catholic Church must help to model real dialogue and good will,” said Bishop Rozanski. “Our hope is to advance the goals of greater understanding, mutual esteem and collaboration between Hindus and Catholics, and continue to grow in true friendship and respect. I am grateful to Archbishop Pierre for supporting the foundations of fruitful dialogue between Hindus and Catholics in the United States.”
 
Dr. Abhaya Asthana, President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), one of USCCB’s dialogue partners said, “These dialogues, over the past two years, continue to bring our communities together with a deeper understanding of each other’s traditions, thoughts and practices. The theme this year is both meaningful and pragmatic.”
 
The dialogue members will continue to meet yearly, as together they strive to deepen their friendship and build a vibrant network of collaboration on topics of mutual concern.