杏MAP导航 to Buddhists: Religions play crucial role in fostering fraternity

杏MAP导航

杏MAP导航 Francis receives a delegation of the United Association of Humanistic Buddhism of Taiwan and highlights the crucial role of religions in fostering fraternity by promoting a culture of encounter.

By Lisa Zengarini

At a time marked by 鈥渁 continued acceleration of changes affecting humanity and the planet鈥�, religions are called more than ever to foster fraternity by promoting a 鈥渃ulture of encounter鈥�, especially among the young. 杏MAP导航 Francis stressed this point on Thursday as he met in the Vatican with a delegation of the United Association of Humanistic Buddhism of Taiwan. The group is visiting Rome for an interreligious 鈥渆ducational pilgrimage鈥�.

The culture of encounter builds bridges and breaks down walls of prejudices

In his address to the monks. the 杏MAP导航 remarked that their visit is a 鈥減rivileged occasion鈥� for advancing the culture of encounter, 鈥渋n which we take the risk of opening ourselves to others, trusting that we will discover in them friends and brothers and sisters, and in the process learn and discover more about ourselves鈥�.

鈥淎s we experience others in their diversity, we are encouraged to accept and embrace our differences.鈥�

鈥淎n interreligious educational pilgrimage 鈥� said the 杏MAP导航 - can be a source of great enrichment, offering multiple opportunities for us to encounter one another, to learn from one another and to appreciate our various experiences鈥�.

鈥淭he culture of encounter builds bridges and opens windows to the sacred values and convictions that inspire others. It tears down the walls that divide people and keep them prisoners of preconceptions, prejudices or indifference.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis further noted that an educational pilgrimage to the sacred places of a religion like the one undertaken by the Buddhist delegation, 鈥渃an also enrich our appreciation of the distinctiveness of its approach to the divine鈥�. 鈥淭he masterpieces of religious art that surround us in the Vatican and throughout Rome reflect the conviction that, in Jesus Christ, God himself became a 'pilgrim' in this world out of love for our human family鈥�, he said.

Fostering human fraternity through education

The 杏MAP导航 went on to remark that the 鈥渙ases of encounter鈥� that religious believers have created throughout history, contribute to 鈥渁n integral education of the human person鈥� and are even more necessary in today's divided world. In this regard, he highlighted the crucial role played by religions in educating the young, so as to 鈥渁dvance universal fraternity in our world鈥�.

Concluding 杏MAP导航 Francis expressed his hope that the Buddhisyt monks' pilgrimage to Rome may leadthem to a deeper encounter with the Christian tradition, and with the beauty of the earth, offering new 鈥減recious opportunities for growth in knowledge, wisdom, dialogue and understanding鈥�.

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