Francis receives a group of Buddhist monks from Taiwan at the Vatican. “Religions have always had a close relationship with education,” the Pope pointed out.
Mariangela Jaguraba – Vatican News
This Thursday (16/03), Pope Francis welcomed a group of Buddhist monks from Taiwan representing the United Society of Humanist Buddhism in the Sala Clementina at the Vatican.
In his address, Bonbar remembered Master Hsing Yun, the founding head of Fo Quang Shan Monastery, who died last February and was known worldwide for his contributions to humanist Buddhism. He was also a master of interfaith hospitality.
Promoting a meeting culture
The visit, defined by you as an “educational pilgrimage, is a special opportunity to promote. A culture of encounter, in which we run the risk of opening ourselves to others, hoping to find friends, brothers and sisters in them, and in this way we learn and discover more about ourselves. Indeed, as we experience the diversity of others, we are encouraged to step outside of ourselves, accept and embrace our differences.”
An interfaith educational pilgrimage can be a source of great enrichment, providing diverse opportunities for encounter, mutual learning, and appreciation of our different experiences.
“An educational pilgrimage to the holy places of a religion – something you do – can further enrich our appreciation for the uniqueness of its approach to the divine,” the Pope noted, adding, “Sacred works of art in the Vatican. And throughout Rome, in Jesus Christ, God himself in this world out of love for our human family.” Reflects the faith that made a “pilgrim”. “For Christians, God, who made himself one of us in the humanity of Jesus, continues to lead us on a holy pilgrimage, thanks to which we recover and grow like him, therefore, in the words of St. Peter, “participants of the divine nature”, said Francis.
An oasis of encounter is needed in our time
Then the Pope said, “Throughout history, the faithful have created temples and holy places as oases of encounter, where men and women can find the inspiration they need to live well and intelligently. In this way, they contribute to the integral education of man. , encompassing “head, hands, heart and soul” and thus “human leading him to experience the harmony of unity, i.e., all the beauties of this harmony”.
Such oases of encounter are even more necessary in our time, in which “the constant acceleration of changes in humanity and the planet is now linked to the intensification of the rhythms of life and work”. This reality also has ramifications for religious life and culture and demands adequate formation and education of youth in timeless truth and proven methods of prayer and peace-building. It is important to note here once again that «Religions have always had a close relationship with education, with education, school and educational activities being linked to religious activities. As in the past, today too, with the wisdom and humanity of our religious traditions, we want to be an impetus for renewed educational activities that will foster universal brotherhood in the world.»“.
Finally, the Pope hoped that this educational pilgrimage would lead the Buddhist monks in Taiwan, “guided by the thought of their spiritual master, the Buddha, to a deeper encounter with themselves and with others, with the Christian tradition and the beauty of the earth. Our common home. May your visit to Rome be filled with moments of true encounter, knowledge, wisdom.” , can be invaluable opportunities for growth in dialogue and understanding.