d i a l o g u e · sammelan xii - 4 : oct. - dec. 2015 u 5 the message of the declaration nostra...

D I A L O G U E

The Bombay Archdiocesan Commission for Inter-Religious Dialogue

President : Cardinal Oswald Gracias

Secretary : Fr. Aniceto Pereira

Office Add. : St. Andrews Educational Foundation Trust, St. Dominic Road, Bandra, Mumbai - 400 050

Telephone : 26514547 Website : www.archbomird.org

Email : [email protected]

Members : Dr. (Mrs) Valerie D’Souza, Prosper D’Souza, Ernest Fernandes, John Misquitta, Silvie Joseph, Noella Colaco, Maria Pinto, Rita Pereira and Joseph Gaikwad

Admin Assts. : Marie D’Souza, Thelma Cardoz

Printed at : Ganesh Offset, Dadar, Mumbai - 400 028. Tel.: 2437 8688

Vol. XII No. 4 Oct. - Dec. 2015

1. Born in Bethlehem in a Jewish Home Fr. Aniceto Pereira 2

Editorial

2. We are all brothers Pope Francis 4Address at the Inter Religious

thAudience in commemoration of the 50Anniversary of Nostra Aetate

3. Introductory Note to the Pontifical Commission for 8Guidelines and Suggestions for Religious Relations with the JewsImplementing the ConciliarDeclaration Nostra Aetate (No 4)

4. The Demographic Profile of Religious Fr. S.M. Michael SVD 10Communities in IndiaAccording to the 2011 Census

5. Christmas: God Abides with Human Beings Sr. Vandana Francis FHIC 13Inter-Religious Christmas Gathering

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Happy ChristmasAnd A Prosperous New Year

Sammelan XII - 4 : Oct. - Dec. 2015 u 2

Editorial

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus! And

the unique way in which it happened…. Jesus

was born to Mary (a Jewish woman) and

Joseph (his Jewish foster father) in a stable in

Bethlehem of Judah! No doubt therefore that

Jesus was born a Jew.

Thirty three years later Jesus would die in

Jerusalem “at the hands of the Jews”. And

when his disciples felt empowered by his

resurrection to continue his legacy, although

they began by using the Jewish temple and the

synagogue as a locus for ministry, they soon

realized they had to let go off their Jewish

moorings and move on as the Holy Spirit

guided them. It would not be wrong to

compare this process to that of a child being

weaned away from its mother….with the

emotions in the hearts of both mother and

child interweaving into a complex game of

love and pain.

As the Christians weaned themselves away

into a separate identity, they had to figure out

how this new community would articulate its

link to its Jewish roots. They found it difficult

to forget that Jesus died “at the hands of the

Jews”, and, focusing on their growing

awareness that Jesus was divine, accused the

Jews of “killing God”.They were not willing to

accept that Judaism recognized Jesus as

prophet but not as “Son of God”. Christianity

concluded that this marked a total rejection of

Jesus by the very community (Jews) in which

Jesus was born!

BORN IN BETHLEHEM

IN A JEWISH HOME

Over the centuries this rejection on the part of

Judaism was to lead to a growing antagonism

between Judaism & Christianity. It led to the

idea of ‘supercessionism’, (a type of substitution

theology). This strain of thoughT evoked

images of the Jewish God as the wrathful God

of a religion dominated by legalism. Then

comes Jesus, replacing the “Old Testament”

God with the God of love in the “New

Testament”. Such teaching was to highlight the

virtues of Christianity against the Jewish faith,

making it impossible to acknowledge the great

debt Christianity owed to Judaism.

thThe Holocaust experience in the 20 century

was to become a turning point for Christians,

not only to understand their relationship with

the Jewish faith, but also with other world

religions. It was during the Pontificate of Pius

XII that the Church was required to take a

stand, as a community of disciples of Christ, on

the issue of Jews being persecuted just for

being Jewish, the original community into

which Jesus himself was born! Those who

accused the Jews of having a hand in “killing

God” were to find it difficult to defend

themselves of the accusation of “having a hand

in killing Jews”. Even if the tragedy of the

Holocaust was not an initiative of the Church,

was it perhaps linked to the demonization of

the Jews by Christians in ostensibly Christian

lands? To date this remains a controversial

chapter in the history of the Church.

Just before the Second Vatican Council, the

Church turned a new page, under the

leadership of Pope St. John XXIII. After his

personal experiences in World War II and the

Holocaust, Pope St. John XXIII was able to be

sensitive to what Jules Isaac, the Jewish


historian and Holocaust survivor, highlighted

about this “teaching of contempt” at their

historic 1960 meeting. He thus felt called to

redress the wrongs committed by Christianity

throughout the ages in widespread preaching

that Jews were a people rejected by God and

condemned to eternal wandering for their so-

called crime of “deicide” (killing God).

This soul searching reflection was to bear fruit

at the Second Vatican Council, through the

Declaration Nostra Aetate promulgated by thPope Paul VI on 28 October 1965. Nostra Aetate

addressed most of the issues that Jules Isaac

brought to the attention of St. John XXIII, says

Rabbi Bemporad, Director of the John Paul II

C e n t e r a n d

P r o f e s s o r o f

I n t e r r e l i g i o u s

S t u d i e s a t t h e

A n g e l i c u m

( P o n t i f i c a l

University of St.

Thomas Aquinas).

“Pope Roncalli, …

has been honoured

a s o n e o f t h e

‘ R i g h t e o u s ’ a t

Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem for having personally

intervened to help save thousands of Jewish

lives when he was Apostolic Delegate in

Turkey and Greece. He felt truly distressed

that the Catholic Church’s widespread

‘teaching of contempt’ had produced a kind of

apathy leading to insufficient action among

many Christians when Jews were persecuted

by Nazis.”

The Church is therefore celebrating the golden

jubilee of this path-breaking document, Nostra

Aetate. It is perhaps salutary that the Church

had to rework its soured relationship with the

Jewish faith as a first step, and then move into a

frame of mind that would help recast its

relationship with other religions as well. By

institutionalizing a new respect for the Jewish

faith in Catholicism, it effectively also helped

to create a more positive and trustworthy

image of Christianity (and other religions) in

the Jewish psyche, after suffering centuries of

strife and persecutions. That was to be the

over-arching impact of Nostra Aetate.

Nostra Aetate may have been indeed a

landmark document. But the engagement of

the Church in inter-religious relations has still

to come main-stream. It cannot be driven only

by the nature of the

environment in

which the Church

finds itself, as a

m i n o r i t y o f t e n

surrounded by not

so friendly cultures

(cf: the article by Fr.

S.M. Michael SVD,

interpreting the

2011 Census data).

A refusal to give

importance to inter religious dialogue could

actually amount to a denial of those pages of

the history of the Church in which the disciples

of Christ have not really loved everyone as

Christ has loved. The year of mercy that thcommences on the 8 of December 2015 should

be able to provide the sense of urgency with

which the Church needs to engage in inter-

religious dialogue activity, and seize the

opportunity to make amends.

Fr. Aniceto Pereira


And we must walk together taking care of each other and creation !

With representatives of the world’s various religions, Pope Francis commemorated the 50th

anniversary of ‘Nostra Aetate’, the Council’s Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-

Christian Religions. The following is the Holy Father’s address which was given during the

General Audience in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday,28 October 2015

WE ARE ALL BROTHERS

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!

At the General Audiences there are often

people or groups who belong to other

religions; but today this presence is of

particular importance, because we can

remember together the 50th anniversary of the

Declaration of the Second Vatican Council

Nostra Aetate on the Relation of the Catholic

Church to Non-Christian Religions. This

subject was dear to the heart of Bl. Pope Paul

VI, who on the Feast of Pentecost the year

before the close of the Council, had established

the Secretariat for non-Christians, today called

the Pontifical Council for Interreligious

Dialogue. For this reason I express my

gratitude and my warm welcome to the people

and groups of various religions, who today

have wished to attend, especially to those who

have come from afar.

The Second Vatican Council was an

extraordinary time of reflection, dialogue and

prayer which aimed to renew the gaze of the

Catholic Church on herself and on the world. A

reading of the signs of the times in view of an

update oriented by a twofold faithfulness:

faithfulness to the ecclesial tradition and

faithfulness to the history of the men and

women of our time. In fact God, who revealed

himself in creation and in history, who spoke

through the prophets and comprehensively

through his Son made man (cf. Heb 1:1),

speaks to the heart and to the spirit of every

human being who seeks the truth and how to

practice it.


The message of the Declaration Nostra Aetate is

always timely. Let us briefly recall a few of its

points:

— the growing interdependence of peoples

(cf. n. 1);

— the human search for the meaning of life, of

suffering, of death, questions which

always accompany our journey (cf. n. 1);

— the common origin and the common

destiny of humanity (cf. n. 1);

— the uniqueness of the human family (cf. n.

1.);

— religions as the search for God or of the

Absolute, within our various ethnicities

and cultures (cf. n. 1);

— the benevolent and attentive gaze of the

Church on religions: she rejects nothing

that is beautiful and true in them (cf. n. 2);

— the Church regards with esteem the

believers of all religions, appreciating their

spiritual and moral commitment (cf. n. 3);

— the Church, open to dialogue with all, is at

the same time faithful to the truths in

which she believes, beginning with the

truth that the salvation offered to everyone

has its origin in Jesus, the One Saviour, and

that the Holy Spirit is at work, as a font of

peace and love.

There have been so many events, initiatives,

institutional or personal relationships with

the non-Christian religions in these last 50

years, that it is difficult to recall them all. A

particularly meaningful event was the meeting

in Assisi on 27 October 1986. It was willed and

sponsored by St John Paul II, who the year

before, thus 30 years ago, addressing the

Muslim youth in Casablanca, hoped that all

believers in God would favour friendship and

unity between men and peoples (19 August

1985). The flame, lit in Assisi, has spread

throughout the world and is a permanent sign

of hope. Deserving of special gratitude to God

is the veritable transformation of Christian-

Jewish relations in these 50 years. Indifference

and opposition have changed into cooperation

and benevolence. From enemies and strangers

we have become friends and brothers. The

Council, with the Declaration Nostra Aetate,

has indicated the way: “yes” to rediscovering

Christianity’s Jewish roots; “no” to every form

of anti-Semitism and blame for every wrong,

discrimination and persecution deriving from

it. Knowledge, respect and esteem for one

another are the way. Indeed, if this applies in a

particular way to relations with Jews, it

likewise applies to relationships with other

religions as well. I am thinking in particular of

Muslims, who — as the Council recalls —

“worship God, who is one, living and

subsistent, merciful and almighty, the Creator

of heaven and earth, who has also spoken to

men” (Nostra Aetate, n. 3). They acknowledge


Abraham’s paternity, venerate Jesus as a

prophet, honour his virgin Mother, Mary,

await the day of judgment, and practice

prayer, almsgiving and fasting (cf. ibid.).

The dialogue that we need cannot but be open

and respectful, and thus prove fruitful.

Mutual respect is the condition and, at the

same time, the aim of interreligious dialogue:

respecting others’ right to life, to physical

integrity, to fundamental freedoms, namely

freedom of conscience, of thought, of

expression and of religion.

The world, looking to us believers, exhorts us

to cooperate amongst ourselves and with the

men and women of good will who profess no

religion, asking us for effective responses

regarding numerous issues: peace, hunger, the

poverty that afflicts millions of people, the

environmental crisis, violence, especially that

committed in the name of religion, corruption,

moral decay, the crisis of the family, of the

economy, of finance, and especially of hope.

We believers have no recipe for these

problems, but we have one great resource:

prayer. We believers pray. We must pray.

Prayer is our treasure, from which we draw

according to our respective traditions, to

request the gifts that humanity longs for.

Because of violence and terrorism an attitude

of suspicion or even condemnation of religions

has spread. In reality, although no religion is

immune to the risk of deviations of a

fundamentalist or extremist nature in

individuals or groups (cf. Address to the United

States Congress, 24 September 2015), it is

necessary to look to the positive values that

religions live and propound, and that are

sources of hope. It is a matter of raising our

gaze in order to go further. Dialogue based on

confident respect can bring seeds of good that

in their turn may bud into friendship and

cooperation in many fields, especially in

service to the poor, to the least, to the elderly,

through welcoming migrants, and attention to

those who are excluded. We can walk together

taking care of one another and of creation. All

believers of every religion. Together we can

praise the Creator for giving us the garden of

the world to till and keep as a common good,

and we can achieve shared plans to overcome

poverty and to ensure to every man and

woman the conditions for a dignified life.

The Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy,

which is before us, is a propitious occasion to

work together in the field of the works of

charity. In this field, where compassion counts

above all else, we may be joined by many

people who are not believers or who are in

search of God and of the Truth, people who

place at the centre the face of another person, in

particular the face of a needy brother or sister.

The mercy to which we are called embraces all

of creation, which God entrusted to us so that

we keep it, not exploit it or worse still,

destroyit. We must always seek to leave the

world better than we found it (cf. Encyclical

Laudato Si’, n. 194), beginning with the

environment in which we live, and the small

gestures of our daily life.


Dear brothers and sisters, as for the future of

interreligious dialogue, the first thing we have

to do is pray, and pray for one another: we are

brothers and sisters! Without the Lord,

nothing is possible; with Him, everything

becomes so! May our prayer — each one

according to his or her own tradition — adhere

fully to the will of God, who wants all men and

women to recognize they are brothers and

sisters and live as such, forming the great

human family in the harmony of diversity.

Special greetings:

I address a cordial welcome to Italian-speaking pilgrims.

On the Feast Day of Sts Simon and Jude, I hope that the memory of the

Apostles, first witnesses of the Gospel, may increase faith and encourage

charity.

I offer a special thought to young people, to the sick and to newlyweds. At

the end of the month of October let us invoke Mary, Mother of Jesus. Dear

young people, learn to pray to her with the simple and effective prayer of the

Rosary; dear sick people, may Our Lady be your support in the trial of pain;

dear newlyweds, emulate her love for God and for brothers and sisters.

Now, to conclude this Audience, I invite everyone, each one on his or her

own, to pray in silence. May each one do so according to his or her own

religious tradition. Let us ask the Lord to make us more brotherly and

sisterly among ourselves, and more ready to serve our needier brothers and

sisters. Let us pray in silence.

[Silent prayer]

May God bless us, every one!


The document is published over the signature

of Cardinal Willebrands, in his capacity as

President of the new Commission for the

Catholic Church’s religious relations with the

Jews, instituted by Paul VI on 22 October 1974.

It comes out a short time after the ninth

anniversary of the promulgation of Nostra

Aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s

Declaration on the Church’s relations with

non-Christian religious.

The “Guidelines and Suggestions”, which

refer to n. 4 of the Declaration, are notable for

their almost exclusively practical nature and

for their sobriety.

This deliberately practical nature of the text is

justified by the fact that it concerns a pragmatic

document.

It does not propose a Christian theology of

Judaism. Such a theology certainly has an

interest for specialist research and reflection,

but it still needs considerable study. The new

Commission for Religious Relations with the

Jews should be able to play a part in the

gradual fruition of this endeavour.

The first part of the Document recalls the

principal teachings of the Council on the

condemnation of antisemitism and of all

discrimination, and the obligation of

reciprocal understanding and of renewed

mutual esteem. It also hopes for a better

knowledge on the part of Christians of the

INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO THE GUIDELINES AND SUGGESTIONS

FOR IMPLEMENTING THE CONCILIAR

DECLARATION “NOSTRA AETATE” (N. 4)Commission For Religious Relations With The Jews

essence of the religious tradition of Judaism

and of the manner in which Jews identify

themselves.

The text then proposes a series of concrete

suggestions.

The section dedicated to dialogue calls for

fraternal dialogue and the establishment of

deep doctrinal research. Prayer in common is

also proposed as a means of encounter.

With regard to the liturgy, mention is made of

the links between the Christian liturgy and the

Jewish liturgy and of the caution which is

needed in dealing with commentaries on

biblical texts, and with liturgical explanations

and translations.

The part concerning teaching and education

allows the relations between the two

Testaments to be made clear. The question of

the trial and death of Jesus is also touched

upon asid stress is laid on the note of

expectation which characterizes both the

Jewish and the Christian religion. Specialists

are invited to conduct serious research and the

establishment of chairs of Hebrew studies is

encouraged where it is possible, as well as

collaboration with Jewish scholars.

The final section deals with the possibilities of

common social action in the context of a search

for social justice and for peace.


The conclusion touches on, among other

things, the ecumenical aspect of the problem of

relations with Judaism, the initiatives of local

churches in this area, and the essential lines of

the mission of the new Commission instituted

by the Holy See.

The great sobriety of the text is noted also in

the concrete suggestions which it puts

forward. But it would certainly be wrong to

interpret such sobriety as being indicative of a

limiting programme of activities. The

document does propose limited suggestions

for some key sectors, but it is a document

meant for the universal Church, and as such it

cannot take account of all the individual

situations. The suggestions put forward are

intended to give ideas to those who were

asking themselves how to start on a local level

that dialogue which the text invites them to

begin and to develop. These suggestions are

mentioned because of their value as examples.

They are made because it seems that they

could find ample application and that their

proposal at the same time constitutes an apt

programme for aiding local churches to

organize their own activities, in order to

harmonize with the general, movement of the

universal Church in dialogue with Judaism.

The Document can be considered from a

certain point of view as the Commission’s first

step for the realization of religious relations

with Judaism. It will devolve on the new

Commission to prepare and put forward,

when necessary, the further developments

which may seem necessary in order that the

initiative of the Second Vatican Council in this

important area may continue to bear fruit on a

local and on a worldwide level, for the benefit

of peace of heart and harmony of spirit of all

who work under the protection of the one

Almighty God.

The Document, which gives the invitation to

an effort of mutual understanding and

collaboration, coincides with the opening of

the Holy Year, which is consecrated to the

theme of reconciliation. It is impossible not to

perceive in such a coincidence an invitation to

study and to apply in concrete terms

throughout the whole world the suggestions

which the Document proposes. Likewise one

cannot fail to hope that our Jewish brothers too

may find in it useful indications for their

participation in a commitment which is

common.

As we enter into the Year of Mercy

Inter-Religious Dialogue Cells are urged to study

this Introductory Note as well as the full text of the Guidelines


Introduction

Once in ten years the Indian Government

conducts the Census, a major mega project to

understand the demographic profile of the

Indian Union for various social, cultural and

welfare planning activities. The last Census

was conducted in 2011. Though the results

were ready more than a year ago, the releasing

of the data got delayed according to many

observers due to political considerations. Just

at the verge of Bihar elections, the Census 2011

data on Population by Religious Communities

THE DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF

RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES IN INDIA

ACCORDING TO THE 2011 CENSUS

TOWARDS AN INTERPRETATION

Religion Percentage Population Change in demography

Hindus 79.8 % 96.63 crore declined by 0.7 % in the decade 2001 to 2011

Muslims 14.23 % 17.22 crore Increase by 0.8 %

Christians 2.3% 2.78 crore remains the same

Sikhs 1.7% 2.08 crore declined by 0.2 %

Buddhists 0.7% 0. 84 crore declined by 0.1 %

Jains 0.4% 0.45 crore remains the same

Other religions 0.8% 0.79 crore

Change in Population Trends

The Census Report of 2011 confirms the

overall declining trend in the population

growth rate in the country. When we compare

the religious composition of India from its

previous Census, a decade ago in 2001, we see

the following trends in the 2011 Census:

The 2001-2011 growth rate of total population

was 17.7%. Among this, the decadal growth

rate of Hindus is 16.8%; the Muslim was 24.6%.

Christians, during this period grew by 15.5%,

Sikhs by 8.4%. Jains by 5.4% and Buddhists by

6.1%. Those stating other religions and

persuasions grew by 19.6% in the 10 years

preceding 2011. Significantly, the number who

did not state their religion went up by 294%

between 2001 and 2011.

The share of Hindus in the population came

was released by the Registrar General of India thon 25 August 2015. This gives us the latest

official information about the demographic

profile of religious population of India.

Religious Composition of India

The following is the religious composition of

India according to 2011 Census:

Total population = 121.09 crores

Not stated their religion = 0.29 %


down marginally from 80.5% in 2001 to 79.8%

in 2011. There is a small increase in the Muslim

population. In 2001, Muslims constituted

13.4% of the country’s population; this went up

marginally to 14.2% in 2011. In absolute

numbers, the Hindu population increased by

13.9 crore during 2001-2011; the Muslim

population increased by 3.4 crore. All the

same, comparing the fertility rate of Hindus

and Muslims during 2001-2011, the 2011 data

shows that the fertility rate of Muslims is

falling faster than that of Hindus.

The States which have higher tribal

population, the growth of Hindu population is

shown higher. The notable rise in the Hindu

population is seen in Jharkhand (21.1%);

Rajasthan (20.9%); Madhya Pradesh (20%).

The States and Union Territories where the

Hindu decadal growth was higher than their

averages are Goa, Nagaland, Daman & Diu

and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Puducherry,

Karnataka, Punjab, and Chandigarh.

The decadal growth rate for Christians (2001-

2011) was higher than 100% in Bihar and

Arunachal, but the community recorded a

negative growth in Nagaland (-2.8%), Andhra

(-4.4%), Lakshadeep, Daman and Diu and

Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The proportion of Christians in the total

population has, however, dipped slightly from

2.34% in 2001 to 2.29% in 2011.

Christians have the best Sex Ratio

The other important piece of data from the

2011 Census is sex ratio, i.e. the number of

females for every 1,000 males.

The Christians have the best sex ratio. This is

clear from the 2011 Census data provided

below:

The sex ratio (number of females for every

1,000 males) among different religious groups

differs:

Hindus = 939

Muslims = 951

Christians = 1,023

Sikhs = 903

In India, there is a preferential choice for male

children. We have been reading in the news

papers that there is a rampant amount of sex

determination in clinics all over India and

there is selective abortion of the female foetus.

In this context, the sex ratio of Christians in

2011 Census indicating 1,023 females for every

1,000 males needs further research to find out

whether there is some relationship between

their Christian faith and a good sex ratio.

Geographical Distribution of Christians in

India

Another important information we can infer

from the 2011 Census is the distribution of

Christians in different parts of India. Nearly

half of the country’s Christian population lives

in south India. The five southern states – Tamil

Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh

and Telangana account for 1.28 crore (46%) of

India’s 2.78 crore Christians. Among them

Kerala alone is home to 22.07 % of the total

Christians in the country, followed by Tamil

Nadu with 15.88%. The seven north-eastern

states account for 28.1% of the Christian

population. Goa accounts for 1.3% of the

Christian population in India. The rest of the

country is home to less than 25% of the total

Christians in the country.


Geographical distribution of minorities

Religious minorities in India, with the

exception of Sikhs, live more in urban areas

than rural. While only 29 of Hindus live in

urban areas, 40% of Muslims and Christians,

43% Buddhists and 80% of Jains live in towns

and cities.

Conclusions

uThe Census 2011 confirms the declining

trend in population growth rate in the

country.

uThe demographic trend of the 2011 Census

indicates that with increased access to

e d u c a t i o n a n d b e t t e r e c o n o m i c

opportunities, a decline in fertility follows

naturally.

uWomen’s education is the most important

factor explaining fertility differences

across the country and over time.

uThe Muslim population has shown an

increasing trend. All the same, comparing

the fertility rate of Hindus and Muslims

during 2001-2011, the 2011 data shows that

the fertility rate of Muslims is falling faster

than in Hindus.

uThough there is a slight decline of Hindu

population at the all-India level, the data

indicates that there is a higher growth trend

of Hindu population in tribal areas like

Jharkhand.

uThe Christian population more or less

remains the same for the last three times the

national population Census has been taken.

uGoa, Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland, Daman &

Diu and Dadra & Nagar Havel i ,

Puducherry are showing declining

Christian populations.

u46% of the Christians live in South India

u40% of the Christians live in urban areas.

uChristians show the best Sex Ratio among

all the communities in India

Fr. S.M. Michael SVD

The logo and the motto together provide a fitting summary of what the Jubilee Year thbeginning on 8 December 2015 is all about. The motto Merciful Like the Father

(taken from the Gospel of Luke, 6:36) serves as an invitation to follow the

merciful example of God the Father who asks us not to judge or condemn but to

forgive and to give love and forgiveness without measure (cfr. Lk 6:37-38).

The logo represents an image of the Son having taken upon his shoulders

the lost soul demonstrating that it is the love of Christ that brings to

completion the mystery of his incarnation culminating in redemption. It

expresses the profound way in which the Good Shepherd touches the flesh of humanity and

does so with a love with the power to change one’s life.

The scene is captured within the so called mandorla (the shape of an almond), a figure quite

important in early and medieval iconography, for it calls to mind the two natures of Christ,

divine and human.

POPE FRANCIS DECLARES 2016

AS THE JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY


I Introduction

Leader: Friends, welcome to this celebration of

Christmas. Somehow Christmas always evokes

a sense of joy with decorations, carols, Christmas

gifts, Santa Claus, Christmas stars and

Christmas trees. But more than all this,

Christmas has a spiritual dimension: it is a feast

that celebrates God’s love for the human family:

God loves us and wants to give us an experience

of the fullness of that love. Therefore God takes

birth among us as Jesus and in and through

Jesus, God reaches to every one of us.

Now, God’s coming to us is not restricted to

Christmas time. He always comes and is always

with us. We shall begin with a hymn from the

Poet Tagore, which reminds us of this.

All: Have you not heard his silent steps?

Have you not heard his silent steps?

He comes, comes, ever comes.

Every moment and every age,

every day and every night he comes,

comes, ever comes.

Many a song have I sung in many a mood of mind, but

all their notes have always proclaimed, ‘He comes,

comes, ever comes.’

In the fragrant days of sunny April through the forest

path he comes, comes, ever comes.

In the rainy gloom of July nights on the thundering

chariot of clouds he comes, comes, ever comes.

In sorrow after sorrow it is his steps that press upon

my heart, and it is the golden touch of his feet that

makes my joy to shine.

II Proclamation of Scriptures

Leader: All religions teach us that God loves us

,and that God comes to us in many ways. Islam

CHRISTMAS: GOD ABIDES WITH HUMAN BEINGSAN INTER-RELIGIOUS CHRISTMAS GATHERING

ØemleeJevee

DeiegDee : efce$ees! ef›eâmceme kesâ meceejesn ceW Deehe keâe mJeeiele nw ~ ef›eâmceme meoe Deevevo keâer YeeJevee peeie=le keâjlee nw ~ Fme Deevevo mes mebyebefOele nw mepeeJeš, ¡eermlepeÙebleer kesâ ieerle leLee Ghenej, ef›eâmceme-Heâeoj, ef›eâmceme-š^er Deewj leeje, hejvleg Fve meye mes yeÌ{keâj nw ef›eâmceme DeeOÙeeeflcekeâ DeeÙeece ~ Ùen Ssmee lÙeesnej nw efpemeces, ceeveJe heefjJeej kesâ efueÙes, F&Õej kesâ Øesce keâe mcejCe efkeâÙee peelee nw ~ F&Õej nceW hÙeej keâjlee nw Deewj Jen nceW Fme Øesce keâer hetCe&lee keâe DevegYeJe keâjevee Ûeenlee nw ~ Fme efueÙes F&Õej, Ùesmeg kesâ ¤he ceW nceejs yeerÛe pevce ueslee nw Deewj Ùesmeg kesâ Éeje, F&Õej nce ceW mes nj Skeâ lekeâ hengbÛelee nw ~

F&Õej nceejs heeme Dee jne nw, Ùen ef›eâmceme kesâ meceÙe lekeâ ner meerefcele veneR nw ~ Jen lees ncesMee Deelee nw Deewj meoe nceejs meeLe jnlee nw ~ Fmeer melÙe keâes Ùeeo keâjkesâ nce keâefJe šwieesj kesâ Skeâ Yepeve mes meYee DeejcYe keâjles nQ

meye: keäÙee legceves Gmekesâ ceewve keâoce veneR megves ?keäÙee legceves Gmekesâ ceewve keâoce veneR megves?Jen Deelee nw Deelee nw, meoe Deelee nw ~

nj #eCe Deewj nj keâeue ceWnj efove Deewj nj jele, Jen Deelee nw Deelee nw meoe Deelee nw ~

ceQves yengle mes ieerle ieeS nQ efJeefYeVe ceveesoMee ceWhej Gvekesâ meye mJejeW ves meoe Ùener Iees<eCee keâer nwJen Deelee nw, Deelee nw meoe Deelee nw

GppeJeue DeØewue kesâ megieefvOele efoveeW ceW, Jen pebieue keâer jen Deelee nw Deelee nw meoe Deelee nw ~

pegueeF& keâer jeleeW keâer yeeefjMeer Goemeer ceW, iejpeles yeeoueeW kesâ jLe hej, Jen Deelee nw meoe Deelee nw

Skeâ og:Ke kesâ yeeo otmejs og:Ke ceW Gmekesâ keâoce, cesjs ùoÙe keâes oyeeles nQ Deewj Gmekesâ hewjeW keâe megvenje mheMe&, cesjs Deevevo keâes Ûecekeâelee nw

Oece&-«evLeeW keâer Iees<eCeeDeiegDee : meye Oece& nceW efmeKeeles nw efkeâ F&Õej nceW hÙeej keâjlee nw, efkeâ F&Õej keâF& lejn mes nceejs heeme Deelee nw ~ Fmueece nceW efmeKeelee


teaches that God has always spoken to the

human family through a large of number of

Prophets at different times, till Allah gave the

Koran. In the Gita, the sacred book of the

Hindus, we read that God comes to us whenever

there is a rise in evil and decline in morals. Let us

listen to this reading from the Gita:

Reader: (from the Bhagavadgita 4: 7-8)

Sri Krishna said to Arjuna: When the righteous is

weak and faint, and the unrighteous exults in

pride, then my spirit arises on earth. For the

salvation of those who are good, for the

destruction of evil in human beings, for the

fulfillment of the kingdom of righteousness, I

come to this world in ages that pass.

Leader: As we just heard, we all believe that God

ordains from time to time special persons as his

prophets or instruments to be born in this world

when humankind is in crisis, in dire need of

divine intervention: God sends unusual persons

like Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda, the

Buddha, Mahavir, Prophet Mohammed,

Abraham Lincoln, Mother Theresa and so on,

persons with extraordinary holiness, to serve,

reform or liberate others. Christians believe that

in Jesus Christ, God becomes human in order to

tell us how much God loves each one of us, how

we can and why we should overcome sin, and

live as brothers and sisters, and thus attain the

goal for which we were created. It is the great

event of this birth that is celebrated at Christmas.

III The Christmas Narrative

Let us listen now to the story of the birth of Jesus. The

narration will be interspersed with carols.

Reader: The Jewish people always believed that

they were a people special to God, and yet they

were for centuries under foreign rule: by the

Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Greeks, the

Romans... They still held on to the belief that God

would send them a Saviour or Liberator to free

them from foreign domination. However, they

didn’t know when exactly this would be. So that

nw efkeâ F&Õej ves, efJeefYeVe meceÙe ces keâF& YeefJe<ÙeJekeäleeDeeW Éeje ceeveJe heefjJeej mes yeeleW keâer ~ efHeâj Deuueen ves nceW kegâjDeeve oer~ efnvogDeeW kesâ heefJe$e «evLe ceW, nce heÌ{les nQ efkeâ peye peye yegjeF& yeÌ{leer nw leLee veweflekeâlee Iešleer nw, F&Õej nceejs heeme Deelee nw ~ DeeDees nce ieerlee keâe Ùen hee" megves

hee"keâ : YeieJeod ieerlee mes 4:7-8ßeer ke=â<Ce ves Depeg&ve mes keâne - peye Yeer Deewj peneB Yeer Oece& keâe heleve neslee nw Deewj DeOece& keâer ØeOeevelee nesves ueieleer nw, leye ceQ DeJeleej ueslee nBt ~ YeòeâeW keâe Gæej keâjves og°eW keâe efJeveeMe keâjves leLee Oece& keâer efHeâj mes mLeehevee keâjves kesâ efueÙes ceQ nj Ùegie ces Øekeâš neslee nBt ~

DeiegDee : pewmee efkeâ DeYeer nceves megvee, nce meye efJeÕeeme keâjles nQ efkeâ meceÙe meceÙe hej, peye ceeveJe peeefle mebkeâškeâeue ceW nesleer nw Ùee Gmes F&ÕejerÙe nmle#eshe keâer Ieesj DeeJeMÙekeâlee nesleer nw lees F&Õej, Deheves YeefJe<ÙeJeòeâe Ùee meeOeve kesâ ¤he ceW, efJeMes<e JÙeefòeâÙeeW keâes Fme mebmeej ceW hewoe keâjlee nw , F&Õej efJeMes<e heefJe$elee mes Yejs DemeeOeejCe JÙeefòeâÙeeW keâes, DevÙe ueesieeW keâer mesJee keâjves GvnW megOeejves leLee cegòeâ keâjves kesâ efueS Yespelee nw- pewmes cenelcee ieebOeer, efJeJeskeâevevo, yegOoe, ceneJeerj, hewiecyej ceesncceo DeyeÇence efuebkeâve, ceoj Lesjsmee Deeefo ~ F&meeF& ueesie efJeÕeeme keâjles nQ efkeâ F&mee cemeern kesâ ¤he ceW F&Õej ceeveJe yevekeâj nceW Ùen yeleeves DeeÙee, efkeâ Jen nce meye keâes efkeâlevee hÙeej keâjlee nw, Deewj nce efkeâme lejn heehe hej efJepeÙe heekeâj, YeeF&-yenve keâer lejn peerkeâj, Gme ue#Ùe keâes Øeehle keâj mekeâles nQ efpemekesâ efueÙes nce yeveeS ieS nQ ~ ef›eâmcele hej nce Fmeer ceneve Iešvee keâe cene meceejesn ceveeles nQ ~

(metÛevee : ieeÙekeâ ceC[ue - ef›eâmceme keâLee keâe JeCe&ve, efJeefYeVe ÂMÙeeW Deewj Deevevo-ieerleeW Éeje efkeâÙee ieÙee nw ~ efJeefYeVe ÂMÙe cebÛe hej Ùee heeJej-heesFvš Éeje yeleeS peeSB ~ Deevevo-ieerle, meble hee@ue kesâ meer.[er ‘‘heeJeve jele’’ mes efueÙes ieS nQ ~ Deehe hetje ieerle iee mekeâles nw Ùee Deheveer hemebo kesâ Deevebo-ieerle iee mekeâles nQ~)

ef›eâmceme keâLeeDeeDees Deye nce Ùesmeg keâer pevce-keâLee megves ~ keâLee kesâ oewjeve Deevevo-ieerle Yeer megveWies ~

hee"keâ :- Ùentoer ueesieeW keâe meoe efJeÕeeme jne nw efkeâ Jes ueesie F&Õej kesâ efueS efJeMes<e jns nQ, efHeâj Yeer Jes meefoÙeeW lekeâ efJeosefMeÙeeW kesâ Gvehej jepe efkeâÙee: efceŒeer, DemeerefjÙee Ùetveeveer leLee jesefceÙeeW ves ..... ~ GvnW efHeâj Yeer efJeÕeeme Lee efkeâ F&Õej, GvnW efJeosefMeÙeeW kesâ Meemeve mes cegòeâ keâjves kesâ efueÙes Skeâ yeÛeevesJeeuee Ùee cegefòeâoelee Yespesiee, hejvleg GvnW Ùen ceeuetce vener Lee efkeâ Ùen keâye nesiee ~ Fme efueS Jes nceW


was their constant prayer, that God would send

them a saviour. We will listen to this prayer song

now.

Choir : O come, O come, Emmanuel.

Reader: In a town called Nazareth there lived a

young girl, Mary. An angel one day appeared to

her and said to her: ‘Hail Mary, full of grace, the

Lord is with you’. Mary was deeply troubled

with this greeting, but the angel told her not to be

afraid. Then he told her that she would have a

child and that he would be the fulfillment of the

hopes of Israel. Mary was even more puzzled

because she was not married, she was only

promised in marriage to Joseph, a carpenter. But

the angel told her she would be the mother of the

Son of God.

Although all this went totally against Mary’s

plan for herself, she said her ‘yes’ to God. She

always wanted to do whatever God wanted of

her.

After about nine months, when Mary was to have

her baby, she went with Joseph to Bethlehem, for

they had to register themselves in the census.

When they reached there, there was no room for

them in the common inn, and they were too poor

to afford costly lodging. So they had to go to a

stable on a hill side where shepherds looked after

their sheep, and there in the night, Mary gave

birth to Jesus and he was wrapped in swaddling

clothes and placed on the hay on a cold wintry

night.

The choir will now sing this for us:

Choir: Silent night, holy night,

Reader: There were some shepherds in that part

of the country who were spending the night in

the fields taking care of their flocks. An angel

appeared to them in bright glory, and explained

to them the importance of the birth of this baby.

Choir: Angels we have heard on high

ØeeLe&vee keâjles jns efkeâ F&Õej Gvekesâ efueÙes Skeâ cegefòeâoelee Yespes ~ DeeDees Deye nce Skeâ Deevevo ieerle megves

ieeÙekeâ ceC[ue : heeJeve jele ieerle -1

hee"keâ : veepejsle veecekeâ Skeâ veiej ceW ceefjÙee veece keâer Skeâ peJeeve ueÌ[keâer jnleer Leer ~ Skeâ efove Skeâ otle Gmekesâ meeceves Øekeâš ngDee Gmeves keâne ‘‘ØeCeece ceefjÙee, let ke=âhee mes hetCe& nw, ØeYeg lesjs meeLe nw’’ Fme DeeefYeJeeove keâes megvekeâj ceefjÙee yengle hejsMeeve nes ieF& hejvleg otle ves Gmemes keâne ‘‘[jes cele~’’ leye Gmeves ceefjÙee mes keâne efkeâ Jen Skeâ heg$e keâes pevce osieer pees FœeeSue keâer DeeMeeDeeW keâer hetleea nesiee ~ ceefjÙee keâes Deewj DeefOekeâ Dee§eÙe& ngDee keäÙeeWkeâer Jen DeefJeJeeefnle Leer~ ÙetmegHeâ veecekeâ yeÌ{F& mes Gmekeâer ceBieveer ngF& Leer, hejvleg otle ves ceefjÙee mes keâne efkeâ Jen F&Õej kesâ heg$e keâer ceeB nesieer~

ÙeÅeefhe Ùen meye ceefjÙee keâer Deheveer Ùeespevee kesâ efJe®æ Lee, efHeâj Yeer Gmeves mJeerkeâej efkeâÙee ~ Jen meoe Jener keâjvee Ûeenleer Leer pees F&Õej Ûeenlee nw ~

keâjerye veew ceefnveeW kesâ yeeo peye ceeefjÙee Deheves heg$e keâes pevce osvesJeeueer Leer, Jen peveieCevee ceW ÙetmegHeâ kesâ meeLe veece efueKeeves kesâ efueÙes yesLeuesnsce ieF& ~ JeneB hengBÛeves hej GvnW meeceevÙe mejeÙe ces peien veneR efceueer ~ keâerceleer DeeJeeme keâer GveceW meeceLe& veneR Leer ~ FmeefueS Jes heneÌ[er kesâ efkeâveejs peneB ieÌ[efjÙes Deheves YeW[es keâer osKeYeeue keâj jns Les, Skeâ ieesMeeuee ceW "nj ieS ~ JeneB jele keâes ceefjÙee ves Ùesmeg keâes pevce efoÙee ~ Gme "C[er jele keâes, Ùesmeg keâes keâhe[eW ceW uehesš keâj metKeer Ieeme hej efueše efoÙee ieÙee ~

ieeÙekeâ ceC[ue - ieerle 2 veerjJe jele, heeJeve jele,

hee"keâ : osMe kesâ Gme Yeeie ceW kegâÚ ieÌ[efjÙes Les, pees cewoeve ceW Deheveer YeW[es keâer osKeYeeue keâj jns Les ~ Deheveer Ûecekeâleer ceefncee ceW, Skeâ mJeie&otle Gvekesâ meeceves Øekeâš ngDee Deewj GvnW Gme yeeuekeâ kesâ pevce keâe cenlJe mecePeeÙee.

ieeÙekeâ ceC[ue - ieerle 6- mJeieea otle ieeles nQ,


Reader: After the angels’ message, the shepherds

immediately rose and hurried to the manger, and

found Joseph and Mary, and the baby lying amid

the beasts. They narrated to them all that they

had heard from the angels. And there was great

rejoicing.

Choir: Come, come, come to the manger,

IV Intercessions

Leader: Having heard the Christmas story, let us

now with deep faith and trust, place before God

our prayers:

Your response will be: May all people have your

joy and peace, O God.

1. At Christmas is celebrated God’s coming to

earth as a human beings. R/

2. In the Christmas story we see how God

loves the poor and the simple, the

shepherds, the animals, the manger…. May

we also have a loving attitude towards the

poor and be simple in our own life and

attitude. R/

3. God, grant that the followers of every

religion may be instruments of proclaiming

your message of love and forgiveness by

our way of life. R/

4. We pray for all those who cannot celebrate

this joyous season ; those who are sick,

those who have to care for the sick, those

who are far away from home, those who are

too poor… May God give them better times

and greater love and joy. R/

5. Christmas and New Year are family feasts.

May God bless all our families of joy . We

pray for all broken homes for those away

from their families. R/

We end a joyful hymn: Jag ke kone kone me (or any

other suitable song) after which we shall greet

one another with greetings of peace and joy.

Sr. Vandana Francis FHIC

hee"keâ : Ûejveer kesâ heeme hengBÛes ~ GvneWves ceefjÙee Deewj ÙetmegHeâ keâes JeneB heeÙee ~ efMeMeg, peeveJejeW kesâ yeerÛe uesše ngDee Lee ~ pees kegâÚ GvneWves otleeW mes megvee Lee Jen meye GvneWves ceefjÙee Deewj ÙetmegHeâ keâes megveeÙee Deewj JeneB yengle KegefMeÙeeB ceveeF& ieF&~

ieeÙekeâ ceC[ue - ieerle 4 uesše otj Skeâ Ûejveer ceW yeeuekeâ ÙesMeg,

ceOÙemLeleeSB

DeiegDee - ef›eâmceme keâLee megveves kesâ yeeo, DeeDees Deye ienjs efJeÕeeme Deewj DeeMee kesâ meeLe, nce Deheveer ØeeLe&veeSB, F&Õej kesâ meeceves jKes.

Deehekeâe peJeeye nesiee : ns F&Õej ! meye ueesieeW keâes lesjer KegMeer Deewj Meebefle Øeehle nes.

1) peye ef›eâmeceme ceW, F&Õej keâe, ceveg<Ùe kesâ ¤he he=LJeer hej Deeves keâe meceejesn ceveeÙee pee jne nw ~ peJeeye

2) peye ef›eâmceme keâLee ceW nce osKeles nQ efkeâ F&Õej kewâmes meeceevÙe Deewj iejeryeeW keâes, ieÌ[efjÙeeW, peeveJejeW leLee Ûejveer keâes hÙeej keâjlee nw~ peJeeye

3) ns F&Õej ! nceW Smeer ke=âhee Øeoeve keâj nce, Deheves peerJeve kesâ GoenjCe mes, lesjs Øesce Deewj #ecee keâe mebosMe Hewâueeves keâe meeOeve yeve peeSB ~ peJeeye

4) nce Gve meye kesâ efueÙes ØeeLe&vee keâjles nw pees Fme Deevebvo mes Yejs DeJemej keâe Deevevo veneR ues mekeâles, pees yeerceej nw, pees yeerceejeW keâer mesJee ceW ueies nQ, pees Deheves Iej mes yengle otj nw, pees yengle iejerye nQ F&Õej GvnW DeÛÚs efove efoKeeS GvnW DeefOekeâ hÙeej Deewj Deevevo os ~ peJeeye

5) ef›eâmceme Deewj veÙee meeue heefjJeejeW keâe lÙeesnej nw ~ F&Õej nceejs heefjJeejeW keâes Deevevo Øeoeve keâjs, nce štšs heefjJeejeW kesâ efueS

leLee pees Deheves heefjJeej mes otj nw, Gvekesâ efueS ØeeLe&vee keâjles nQ peJeeye

Devle ceW keâesF& GheÙegòeâ Deevevo ieerle Ùee Yepeve nes ~ Skeâ otmejes kesâ Øeefle Deheveer MegYekeâecevee Øekeâš keâjW

DevegJeeove - heer Skeäme. mJeeceer

otleeW kesâ mebosMe kesâ yeeo, ieÌ[efjS Gmeer meceÙe G"s Deewj

d i a l o g u e · sammelan xii - 4 : oct. - dec. 2015 u 5 the message of the declaration nostra...

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