Pope to Buddhists: 'Let鈥檚 work together for a more inclusive world'
By Lisa Zengarini
Pope Francis on Monday reiterated the importance of a closer collaboration between the Church and Buddhists to address the pressing challenges facing our broken world today.
Welcoming a delegation of some 100 Buddhist monks from the Wat Phra Cetuphon temple of Bangkok, in Thailand, he expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation for their 鈥渆nduring friendship鈥� and willingness to work together 鈥渢o bring a ray of hope鈥� to our wounded humanity.
Healing a wounded humanity and earth together
In his address to the monks, Pope Francis recalled 鈥渢he extraordinary welcome and hospitality 鈥� he received during his Apostolic Journey to Thailand in 2019 and, more recently, the Seventh Buddhist-Christian Colloquium held in Bangkok, in November last year, which brought together more than 150 participants from various parts of Asia to reflect on the theme 鈥淜aruna and Agape in Dialogue for the Healing of a Wounded Humanity and the Earth鈥�.
He referred in particular to the final statement of the colloquium in which the participants 鈥渄eeply rooted in their respective religious traditions鈥� committed 鈥渢o working together with everyone鈥� to 鈥� bring a ray of hope to a desperate humanity鈥� in the midst of 鈥渄ark clouds鈥� overshadowing the world today.
No one is saved alone
Pope Francis mentioned three key points highlighted during the Colloquium, the first of which being that 鈥渘o one is saved alone and that 鈥渨e can only be saved together, since we are interconnected and interdependent鈥�.
In light of that truth, he urged the monks 鈥渢o continue working together with everyone鈥�: civil society, members of other religions, governments, international organizations, academic and scientific communities and all other stakeholders 鈥渢o promote a friendship that sustains peace and fraternity and builds a more inclusive world.鈥�
Caring for one another and for the environment
The Colloquium in Thailand further stressed the importance of educating everyone, especially young people and children, 鈥渋n caring and sharing relationships with one another and the environment鈥� and also of prayer and meditation that 鈥渃an turn things upside down by purifying our hearts and minds; generating loving-kindness, mercy and forgiveness where there is hatred and vengeance creating a spirit of respect and care for the other and the earth鈥�.
Continue to foster dialogue and cooperation with the Catholic Church
In this regard, Pope Francis commended a prayer event ttey will join on Tuesday in the Roman in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere.
Concluding, the Pope warmly thanked the Thai Buddhist moks for their visit and encouraged them 鈥渢o continue fostering dialogue and cooperation, especially with the Catholic Church in Thailand, in a spirit of lasting friendship.鈥�
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
