Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue

Message for the Month of Ramadan and ‘Id Al-Fitr
1442 H. / 2021 A.D.
Vatican City

Dear Muslim brothers and sisters,

 We at the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue are glad to offer you our fraternal good wishes for a month rich in divine blessings and spiritual advancement. Fasting, along with prayer, almsgiving and other pious practices, brings us closer to God our Creator and to all those with whom we live and work, and helps us to continue walking together on the path of fraternity.

 During these long months of suffering, anguish and sorrow, especially during the lockdown periods, we sensed our need for divine assistance, but also for expressions and gestures of fraternal solidarity: a telephone call, a message of support and comfort, a prayer, help in buying medicines or food, advice, and, to put it simply, the security of knowing that someone is always there for us in times of necessity. 

 The divine assistance that we need and seek, especially in circumstances like those of the current pandemic, is manifold: God’s mercy, pardon, providence and other spiritual and material gifts. Yet, what we need most in these times, is hope. At this time, then, we think it fitting to share with you some reflections on this virtue.

 As we are aware, hope, while certainly including optimism, goes beyond it. While optimism is a human attitude, hope has its basis in something religious: God loves us, and therefore cares for us through his providence. He does this in his own mysterious ways, which are not always comprehensible to us. In these situations, we are like children who are certain of the loving care of their parents, but are not yet able to comprehend its full extent.

 Hope arises from our belief that all our problems and trials have a meaning, a value and a purpose, however difficult or impossible it may be for us to understand the reason for them or to find a way out of them.

 Hope also carries with it belief in the goodness present in the heart of every person. Many times, in situations of difficulty and despair, help, and the hope it brings, can come from those whom we least expect.

 Human fraternity, in its numerous manifestations, thus becomes a source of hope for all, especially for those in any kind of need. Thanks be to God our Creator, and to our fellow men and women, for the quick response and generous solidarity shown by believers and also persons of good will with no religious affiliation in times of disaster, whether natural or man-made, like conflicts and wars. All these persons and their goodness remind us believers that the spirit of fraternity is universal, and that it transcends all boundaries: ethnic, religious, social and economic. In adopting this spirit, we imitate God, who looks benevolently upon the humanity he created, upon all other creatures and upon the entire universe. This is why the growing care and concern for the planet, our “common home”, is, according to Pope Francis, yet another sign of hope.

 We are also aware that hope has its enemies: lack of faith in God’s love and care; loss of trust in our brothers and sisters; pessimism; despair and its opposite, unfounded presumption; unfair generalizations based on one’s own negative experiences, and so forth. These harmful thoughts, attitudes and reactions must be effectively countered, so as to strengthen hope in God and trust in all our brothers and sisters.

 In his recent Encyclical Letter Fratelli tutti, Pope Francis speaks frequently of hope.  There he tells us: “I invite everyone to renewed hope, ‘for hope speaks to us of something deeply rooted in every human heart, independently of our circumstances and historical conditioning. Hope speaks to us of a thirst, an aspiration, a longing for a life of fulfilment, a desire to achieve great things, things that fill our heart and lift our spirit to lofty realities like truth, goodness and beauty, justice and love… and it can open us up to grand ideals that make life more beautiful and worthwhile’ (cf. Gaudium et spes, 1). Let us continue, then, to advance along the paths of hope” (No. 55).

We, Christians and Muslims, are called to be bearers of hope, for the present life and for the life to come, and to be witnesses, restorers and builders of this hope, especially for those experiencing difficulties and despair.

 As a sign of our spiritual fraternity, we assure you of our prayer, and we send best wishes for a peaceful and fruitful Ramadan, and for a joyful ‘Id al-Fitr.

From the Vatican, 29 March 2021

Miguel Ángel Cardinal Ayuso Guixot, MCCJ
President

Msgr. Indunil Kodithuwakku Janakaratne Kankanamalage
Secretary

PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
00120 Vatican City
Tel.: +39.06.6988 4321
Fax: +39.06.6988 4494
E-mail: dialogo@interrel.va http://www.pcinterreligious.org/

Following a long tradition of Silsilah to send a message to the Christians during Advent and  Christmas time and to the Muslims on the occasion of the month of Ramadan, we address now this message to the Muslim Umma to renew the “chain” (Silsilah) of friendship , love and solidarity especially in this time when the world suffers most due to COVID19 and other forms of calamities that urges us to remember that we are together part of the same human family, as one “Human Fraternity”. 

With joy, we know that this concept of “Human Fraternity” has been reaffirmed in Abu Dhabi in the historical document signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-azhar University, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb on February 4, 2019 and recalled by Pope Francis in Iraq this year 2021.

Meanwhile, we are happy of some positive developments of friendship and solidarity among Christians and Muslims around the world and in the Philippines. We cannot ignore situations of violent extremism and terrorism that, in recent times, are done especially by groups who claim to be Muslims guided by their religious beliefs. We know that this situation makes most of the Muslim brothers and sisters very sad also in the Philippines.

In this context, the Christians in the Philippines who, this year, remember the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines cannot ignore that along the years also some Christians have used violence in the name of their faith. That was a historical time that Christians have to remember with sorrow renewing the spirit of friendship proposed by the document of Vatican II, Nostra Aetate, that tell us: 

“Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom. (NA 3)

Yes, we are invited to “forget” but also to “remember” that we cannot repeat mistakes of the past and even of the present done by those who use violence, especially justified by any religious motivation. Thus, we invite all to face the future with hope as Pope Francis is doing, as well as other good leaders of different religions are doing. 

Silsilah, this year, in the spirit of the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines will conduct online the 35^th Silsilah Summer Course on Muslim-Christian Dialogue in collaboration with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines- Episcopal Commission for Interreligious Dialogue (CBCP-ECID) on “LOVE AND HATE IN CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM: How to Transform Hate to Love and be an Instrument of Peace in the midst of Violent Extremism and Terrorism” (For more details, you may visit, www.silsilahdialogue.com).

We know that also some Muslims in the Philippines are celebrating with pride their faith from the time Christians arrived in this part of the world. Meanwhile, Christians and Muslims celebrate with “pride” their faith, we encourage all not to forget the mistakes of the past to build a better relation as part of the same, “Human Fraternity”.

May all of us continue to live with joy, our faith but also live with humility convinced that faith is, first of all, a grace of God to be nurtured with prayer and penance. We are called to accept and respect the plurality of religions and we are invited to pray:

“O Lord, sustain my vision of peace Following Your inspiration,
You have many ways of revealing Your
Presence and love for humanity,
But Your style is constant,
You are in dialogue with all, You care for all.”

(a part of the Harmony Prayer) Silsilah Dialogue Movement

‘E-Pray’ allows people in isolation to access spiritual guidance from priests during testing times

Joseph Peter Calleja, Manila
April 10, 2021

A diocese in the Philippines has launched an application called “E-Pray” that allows people to connect with clergymen for spiritual accompaniment during their Covid-19 isolation.

Novaliches Diocese in Manila said the app was developed by its social communications ministry in response to a recent spike in Covid cases in the Philippine capital.

On April 7, the Philippines had recorded a total of 819,164 Covid-19 cases with 14,059 deaths since the pandemic began. On that day alone, 6,414 new cases and 242 deaths were also recorded, down from a peak of 11,020 new cases earlier in the week.

“With this E-Pray app, Covid patients can communicate with our diocese for spiritual announcement on social media. It’s a free web application where patients can type in their contact details so that priests can get in touch with them.

The diocese said communication is key to lessening the stress and anxiety felt by Covid patients.

“The pandemic has prevented churchgoers from accessing their priests and has deprived them of their spiritual life. During times when we feel like we are about to surrender, the presence of a priest is very important for guidance,” said Father Luciano Felloni, the diocese’s social communications director.

He said the internet must be maximized for the Catholic Church’s mission to be more alive and active during the pandemic.

“The problem [for sick Catholics] is that there is no direct contact because priests are not allowed to enter hospitals and quarantine facilities,” the priest added.

Father Filoni said one of the essential things for a sick person is faith in God.

Although clergymen cannot hear confession with the app, they can use it to pray for and with the sick, he said.the app, they can use it to pray for and with the sick, he said.

“We cannot offer at this point anointing of the sick … we also can’t offer confession. But what we can offer them is a priest to pray over and to guide them as they journey to recovery,” Father Felloni added.

Novaliches Diocese has assured the sick can reach a priest at any time — day or night.

“The platform will be manned by a number of volunteers who will put a sick person through to an available priest. We have enough priests and volunteers to make this work,” the diocese said.

Father Felloni said more than 30 clergymen have volunteered for the project, including one from New York in the United States. “Let’s not allow any single patient to go without prayer, to go without being blessed by a priest. Let’s help in our little and very simple way. Let us help with the grace of prayer,” he added.

UCAN News