Vatican Says Christians and Hindus Must Be ‘Builders of Fraternity’
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue sent greetings to Hindus around the world Monday, wishing them a fruitful feast of Deepavali, to be celebrated on October 27.
“May this festival of lights illumine your hearts and homes and bring to your families and communities joy and happiness, peace and prosperity. At the same time, may it strengthen your spirit of fraternity with one another,” the greeting runs.
We live at a time when efforts are being made toward “interreligious and intercultural dialogue, cooperation and fraternal solidarity,” the message notes.
“On the other hand, there is apathy, indifference and even hatred among some religious people towards others,” it states. “This is often caused by a failure to recognize the ‘other’ as a brother or sister. Such an attitude can arise from misguided, ungenerous or unsympathetic sentiments, which upset and unsettle the very fabric of harmonious coexistence in society.”
