Representatives from the major world religions gathered in Westminster Cathedral Hall in London on Saturday, 17 October, to meet with the head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue to sign a pledge to work together for peace, underpinned by a shared recognition of the dignity of every human person.
Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery, took part in the event, titled ‘Religions as builders of Peace in the Spirit of Assisi,’ after earlier joining the UK’s Syro-Malabar community to celebrate the tenth anniversary of its Eparchy (the Eastern Catholic equivalent of a diocese). Cardinal Koovakad belongs to the Eastern rite Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.
In Westminster Cathedral Hall, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, retired Archbishop of Westminster, gave a 20-minute address that explored religion through the lens of attachment to ‘space’ versus progress that can be made through the passage of ‘time’.
Asserting that religious communities must always contribute to the work of building peace though daily prayer, he explained how our shared pursuit of dialogue sets an important example to wider society:
“When the religious faiths are seen to be open to each other, respectful of different traditions and customs, involved in joint effort with humility and generosity, then an invitation is being offered to those for whom the qualities of respect, patient regard, a desire for understanding and an abhorrence of violence are being lost or at least seriously weakened.”
After Cardinal Nichols’ talk, the interfaith gathering heard nine prayers for peace from the different faith traditions before a period of shared silence during which the Pledge for Peace was signed.
Cardinal Koovakad then read the peace pledge aloud and gave a speech in which he reflected on how the Catholic Church has worked consistently in the last 40 years to keep the spirit of Assisi alive by “by promoting authentic peace, social friendship, human solidarity, common good, and interreligious dialogue, and collaboration among people.”
He reminded us that, “while peace remains a gift and a task, it also entails purification and conversion of hearts, minds and actions.”
As he concluded, Cardinal Koovakad explained that:
“Among the various etymologies of the word ‘religion,’ the one perhaps closest to us is religare – ‘to bind.’ Every religion, in its most literal and central sense, is bound to the Divine or to a Transcendental reality. Consequently, it is bound to the characteristics of peace, love, and justice. These form the core virtues of every religion and the very foundations of our faiths.
“It is, therefore, to be hoped, throughout the world, that serving as instruments of peace, harmony and common good, religions give a higher visibility to peacemaking activities and peacebuilding initiatives in the spirit of Assisi. It is in this way that the fundamental desire for the Good inherent in all religions will be fulfilled.”
Cardinal Koovakad will also join Christian leaders and representatives from the Jewish community for an ecumenical gathering on Sunday, 18 October.
The Cardinal will then engage in fraternal visits to the Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities from Monday 19 October to Wednesday 21 October.
Gathered here in the Archdiocese of Westminster, we have reflected together on peace, a gift of God and essential for the common good of the whole human family. Although we belong to different religious traditions, we affirm that building peace begins with recognising the dignity of every human person and loving our neighbour in accordance with the Golden Rule: Do to others as you would have them do to you. United in this conviction, we pledge ourselves anew to the shared task of building a more just, peaceful and fraternal world.
Therefore:
We commit ourselves to proclaiming our firm conviction that violence, terrorism and every form of hatred are incompatible with the authentic spirit of religion. We condemn every attempt to invoke the name of God or religion to justify violence or war, and we will do all in our power to address the conditions that give rise to hatred, extremism and conflict.
We commit ourselves to educating present and future generations in mutual respect, understanding and friendship, so as to foster peaceful coexistence among people of every ethnicity, culture and religious tradition.
We commit ourselves to strengthening the culture of encounter and dialogue, promoting attentive listening, honest conversation and mutual trust, recognising these as the indispensable foundations of authentic peace.
We commit ourselves to defending the equal dignity and fundamental rights of every person, enabling all to live in accordance with their conscience, culture and beliefs, to form and sustain families and communities, so that they can contribute freely to the common good.
We commit ourselves to engaging in dialogue marked by honesty, humility and patience, refusing to allow our differences to become barriers of fear or hostility, and recognising instead that respectful encounter enriches our understanding of one another and strengthens our shared humanity.
We commit ourselves to acknowledging past and present failures, prejudices and injustices, seeking forgiveness where it is needed, extending forgiveness where it is possible, and working together in the pursuit of reconciliation, convinced that there can be no lasting peace without justice.
We commit ourselves to standing alongside the poor, the vulnerable, the displaced and all who suffer from war, persecution, discrimination or neglect. We will seek to amplify the voices of those who are unheard and to work together for societies in which every person can flourish in dignity.
We commit ourselves to hearing and responding to the cry of all who long for peace, justice and hope. Together we will strive to inspire confidence that reconciliation is possible and that peace can prevail over division and fear.
We commit ourselves to encouraging friendship and solidarity among peoples and nations. In an increasingly interconnected world, we recognise that scientific and technological progress must always be guided by wisdom, ethical responsibility and a commitment to the common good, so that it may serve life rather than contribute to destruction.
We commit ourselves to caring for our common home, recognising that environmental degradation, the misuse of natural resources and the effects of climate change fall most heavily upon the poorest and can become causes of conflict. We will work together to promote a culture of stewardship, responsibility and hope for future generations.
We commit ourselves to encouraging political, civic and religious leaders to work tirelessly for peace, to uphold justice and the rule of law, to protect human dignity and fundamental freedoms, and to strengthen cooperation among nations for the good of all.
Together, we will continue to proclaim that peace and justice are inseparable, and that peace founded upon justice, truth, compassion and mutual trust is the surest path towards a future of hope. In a world of increasing interdependence, rapid communication and profound global challenges, we affirm that lasting security, genuine freedom and authentic peace can never be secured by force alone, but must be built through dialogue, solidarity, shared responsibility and the recognition that we are one human family.
Signatories
Radhika Kadaba (Hindu)
Chair, Hindu Council of Wales
Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra (Muslim)
Muslim Co-Chair, Christian Muslim Forum
Dr James Roberts (Christian)
Head of St Paul’s Cathedral Institute
Padideh Sabeti (Baháʼí)
Director, UK Bahai office of Public Affairs
Malcolm Deboo (Zoroastrian)
President, Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe
Dr Mehool Sanghrajka MBE (Jain)
Director, Institute of Jainology
Brenda Dinsdale (Jewish)
Hon Life President, Newcastle Reformed Synagogue
Dr Desmond Biddulph CBE (Buddhist)
President, The Buddhist Society
Professor Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Ahluwalia OBE, KSG (Sikh)
Spiritual Leader and Chairman, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ)
High resolution photographs will be available in due course on our Flickr channel.
You can download Cardinal Vincent Nichols’ full address here:
You can download Cardinal George Koovakad’s full address here:
You can download the nine reflections and prayers for peace from representatives of religions.
