The Cardinal visits a number of religious places of worship to offer prayers for peace in their different traditions and to encourage them to work together for the common good and for a more peaceful world.
On Saturday 17 October, Cardinal Koovakad, a bishop of the Syro-Malabar tradition, will join the celebration of Holy Qurbana in the Syro-Malabar Rite with Bishop Joseph Srampickal, Bishop of the Catholic Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain. They will be joined by priests, religious and lay faithful to mark the Eparchy’s 10th Anniversary.
There will be two interreligious events held at Westminster Cathedral Hall over the weekend. The first, titled, Religions as builders of Peace in the Spirit of Assisi, will take place from 5pm on Saturday 17 October and will mark the 40th anniversary of the first gathering in Assisi of religious leaders with Pope St John Paul II in October 1986, the first World Day of Prayer for Peace.
The second event will take place on Sunday 18 October, titled, ‘In Prayer for Peace’, and will bring together ecumenical and Jewish representatives, as well as representatives from other religions to join in prayer for an end to conflict.
On Monday 19 October, Cardinal Koovakad will visit Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden, London, in the morning. This will be followed by a day conference at Global Cooperation House, the London headquarters of Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, titled, Hindus and Christians: Together to build a just and peaceable world. Over three sessions, panellists will explore Christian and Hindu approaches to peacebuilding and interreligious dialogue, followed by an opportunity for group discussion and sharing.
On Tuesday 20 October, Cardinal Koovakad will undertake a private tour and visit to a Jain Derasar. He will then join the Jain community for a day of dialogue on the theme, Jains and Christians: Together to promote “Ahimsa” (Nonviolence) for peace in the world.
On Wednesday 21 October, the Cardinal’s visit moves to Birmingham, where he will meet with the Sikh community. The focus of this day will be, Sikhs and Christians together to promote solidarity and service for peace in the world.
The day will conclude with Sung Vespers with interreligious guests at St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham.
The visit ends on Thursday 22 October with a visit to Birmingham Oratory.
Catholic seminarians training for the priesthood from Allen Hall Seminary, London, and Oscott Seminary, Birmingham, will join the meetings on the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of the visit.
Mutual respect, reconciliation, and human dignity
The meetings during the visit will provide an opportunity to stand together in prayer for peace, to strengthen relationships between communities, and to witness to the values of mutual respect, reconciliation, and human dignity.
They are also an expression of the growing commitment of Christians to walk together in greater unity, recognising that a common Christian witness strengthens the Church’s contribution to dialogue and understanding with people of other faiths.
