WelCom December 2022
Interfaith dialogue is of the utmost priority for world peace, says Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna.
Together with 200 religious leaders and research scientists, the cardinal took part in the two-day ‘Bahrain Forum for Dialogue’ at the invitation of the President of the Supreme Council for Islamic affairs, Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Khalifa, from 3–5 November.
All religions have three fundamental things in common, Cardinal Schönborn said. They share a common source, have a relation to transcendence and a common responsibility for justice and peace.
‘Different cultures and different languages are, in the final instance, only a differentiation within one family’, Cardinal Schönborn pointed out. Pope Francis had emphasised this in Fratelli tutti, his third encyclical, he recalled, but it had already been underlined in 1937 by Pope Pius XI in his encyclical Mit brennender Sorge, in which the Pope had sharply criticised all forms of racism.
All religions related to transcendence which created a broad base for dialogue, said the Cardinal. And they also had a common responsibility for peace and justice. The idea that we will all finally have to take responsibility for our actions is common to all religions, he added.
After attending the forum, Cardinal Schönborn joined Pope Francis for the ecumenical prayer for peace in Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral in Awali and at the Mass in Bahrain stadium. Pope Francis is the first Pope to visit Bahrain.
Sources: Crux, BBC News.
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 8 December
‘As has been the custom for many years an archdiocesan Mass will be celebrated on our diocesan feast day, 7pm, Thursday 8 December, at St Teresa’s Pro-Cathedral, Karori. The archdiocese will again be entrusted to the care of Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception at this Mass. Parishes are asked to renew that Consecration on the following Sunday, 11 December, at All parish Masses.’ – Cardinal John Dew
Dates and events – what’s on
December 2022
If you would like your event listed on this page, please send an outline to welcom@wn.catholic.org.nz including name of event, date, time, location and contact.
Pope Francis registers for the next World Youth Day in Lisbon
At the conclusion of the Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis registered for the next World Youth Day to be held in Lisbon, Portugal, in August 2023. Assisted and accompanied by Portuguese university students studying in Rome, the Pope tapped his way to becoming the first officially registered pilgrim for World Youth Day.