Issue 96
Westminster
Interfaith
31st
Annual
Multi-Faith
Pilgrimage
for Peace
Saturday
21st May
2016
In
Kensington
and
Chelsea
Book now!
More details on
page 7 and in
the enclosed
Booking Form
April 2016
Journeying together
We journey together as members of
one human family. We look after and
support one another as brothers and
sisters irrespective of gender, faith,
race or culture.
Where possible, let us rejoice with our
neighbours by participating in their
festivities and finding out more about
their faith, practices and customs and,
if called to do so, sharing our own.
Firstly, I would like to thank all our
readers who regularly support the
printing and postage of the Newsletter.
Some were very generous. Many also
praised the publication. We are extremely grateful. Your generosity
keeps the Newsletter alive. If you have
not sent in a contribution please get in
touch. Thanks.
Pope Francis writes that "Interreligious
dialogue is a necessary condition for
peace in the world, and so it is a duty
for Christians as well as other religious
communities”. “This dialogue” he
says, “is in first place a conversation
about human existence or simply a
matter of “being open to them, sharing
their joys and sorrows”. In this way we
learn to accept others and their different ways of living, thinking and speaking… True openness involves remaining steadfast in one’s deepest convictions, clear and joyful in one’s own
identity, while at the same time being
“open to understanding those of the
other party” and “knowing that dialogue can enrich each side”. (Evangelii
Gaudium, n. 251)
As we enter another period of religious festivals which are being celebrated around the country by different
faith communities over the next few
weeks, let us remember them in our
prayers, especially those who suffer
and are persecuted for their faith.
At time of writing, Sikhs are celebrating Vaisakhi (New Year) and Jains are
remembering their last great teacher
and model, Mahavira Jayanti. Japanese Buddhists celebrate Hanamatsuri
in April, while many other Buddhists
remember Buddha's Birthday in May.
Ridvan is a period when Baha'is elect
local, national and international governing bodies. The Jewish community
is celebrating Passover (Pesach) while
Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate
Easter (Pascha) immediately after
Passover. The holy month of Ramadan, this year, starts on 7th June.
Each year, we offer an opportunity for
enrichment as we travel side by side
and face to face with people of all
faiths exploring different areas and
visiting various local places of worship
on our multi-faith pilgrimage for peace
and friendship. We look forward to
seeing you there.
Jon
Inside this issue:
Benedict XVI Lecture
Common Faith Covenant
2
2
Daphne Phillips RIP
5
Vatican Message to Jains
6
Southall—the Town I Love (1)
3
31st Annual Multi-Faith Pilgrimage for Peace
7
Remembering the Holocaust
3
Books
8
Two unusual Christmas events
4
13th National Peace Symposium
4
Courses and Events
9
Launch of Women’s Interfaith Network
5
Woman appointed Head of Mosque
5
Calendar of Religious Festivals
11
De Mello: Service
12
Westminster Interfaith
Benedict XVI Lecture
On Tuesday 8 March Cardinal Vincent hosted the
annual Pope Benedict XVI lecture at Archbishop’s
House. He was joined by Chief Rabbi Ephraim
Mirvis and Maulana Syed Ali Raza Rizvi who discussed the theme: ‘Living as a creative minority
in the UK.’
hence we should not be proud and arrogant sometimes of our identities, but should contribute to the
wider community. Everyone is either your brother
in faith or your equal in humanity, and that’s what
we strongly believe in.’
He stressed community building, recognising that
the Muslim population in the UK is very young in
comparison to the Jewish and Catholic communities. As a minority, Muslims must contribute to the
wider community. He thought that London has more
Islamic values than many of the Muslim countries
put together. ‘There are many different communities
living together in peace and harmony, giving respect
to the others, and loving others. And that is what
Islam is all about.’
In his address, the Chief Rabbi began by focusing
on the first Biblical account of a creative minority:
the Hebrews in Egypt. He recounted the story of
Joseph, who integrated himself into Egyptian society, and contributed his talents and abilities with
others.
He outlined two conditions needed for creative
minorities to flourish within our society. The first
relates to the host society, which ‘must provide
opportunities for minorities to flourish, to grow
and to develop. They must give self-confidence to
those minorities to enable them to bring the best
out of themselves, not only for their own sakes but
for the sake of all of society.’
Cardinal Vincent began by reflecting on the service
of Vespers celebrated at Hampton Court Palace. The
Catholic Church became a minority during the
Reformation, and was not re-established in society
until 1850. ‘Our journey from that time, as a religious minority’, he said ‘has been remarkable,
meeting both hostility and friendship…while staying faithful to our central beliefs and teaching.’
Explaining the second condition, he recalled the
blessing that Jacob gave to Ephraim and Manasseh
in which he delivers a dual imperative to ‘be proud
of where you come from, be true to your faith…
believe in God and follow him loyally… but in
terms of society, be a part of it…integrate but
don’t assimilate’.
Education was at the heart of this journey. ‘Before
any church building was constructed, a school was
to be established. The school, said the bishops,
would form and support the living stones of the
Church.’
The Chief Rabbi concluded by stating that society
must ‘recognise and empower minorities’, whilst
minorities must grasp opportunities to grow and
flourish and not make excuses, but ‘utilise every
possible opportunity to work hard and diligently in
order to provide a contribution of great value to
our societies’.
He recalled Pope Benedict XVI’s speech given in
Westminster Hall in 2013, in which the Pope argued
that there is a complementarity of faith and reason
in addressing the challenge of what governments
may reasonably impose upon citizens and how far
they extend. Education is a place where this dialogue between faith and rationality can take place:
‘In our task of integration, knowing that in Britain
today we have a truly respectful, pluralist society,
sound and lasting education is an important pathway.’
Maulana Syed Ali Raza Rizvi opened his address
by quoting from the Qur’an. We may be from different groups or races, but ‘we belong to one father
and one mother’. ‘We are all created by God,
Common Faith Covenant
Treat other people as you would want them to treat
you;
Judaism, Christianity and Islam share origins in
the biblical figure Abraham. While each Abrahamic faith has forged its own path, common values
are shared by all.
If necessary, have courage to speak up; Be accountable to God in all you do.
Senior business executives of different Abrahamic
faith groups came together from a variety of financial and professional services firms based in Canary Wharf. Their conversations led to the creation
of the Common Faith Covenant as a positive
framework for doing business.
*We use the word Stewardship, in the following
context – Good stewards are people who recognise
their contribution, however small, has the potential
to make the world a better place.
More information or to sign up, go to:
www.canarywharfchaplaincy.co.uk
We invite you to join with us in signing up to the
Common Faith Covenant as a promise to:
Live by the principles of openness, fairness, mutual respect and stewardship*;
2
Westminster Interfaith
Southall – the Town I Love (1)
The Brothers of St Gabriel gave Alfred Agius a journal which Brother Daniel kept. It starts in May 1987
and ends somewhat abruptly in December 1996.
For the past 8 years, Alfred has sent me an extract
to publish in the Newsletter. It now seems that the
useable material has come to an end. As I am keen
to keep Daniel’s memory alive, Alfred has suggested
including extracts from Br Daniel’s Southall: the
town I love.
love. Here is the first extract .
placed by housing estates with large families and
friends where English was not the spoken tongue
and whose children were, for some years, bussed
daily to schools outside the area. Cinemas
changed their English programmes to Hindi tales
of romance and dance. Before being themselves
replaced by video shops. Small mountains of
chicken legs replaced meat on butchers’ shelves.
Fruiterers’ stalls, displaying exotic produce, started encroaching more and more onto the pavements. Mastheads to which Sikh and Hindu orange flags were attached - indicating a place of
worship and refuge - appeared, here and there,
within the precincts of disused dairies and churches no longer enjoying sizeable congregations. It
became difficult to find a place where eggs and
bacon could be had for breakfast whereas restaurants offering spicy lamb and hot curry mushroomed. Slawar kamiz and saris, turbans and chunis of many hues, brought more colour to the
streets, especially at week-ends.
Historians and Sociologists will tell you better than
I ever could how Southall grew from a railway junction in the middle of sprawling farm land into one of
the most interesting and populous towns in West
London. With time, it became part of the Borough
of Ealing. Following the increasing demand for labour in the local light industry and because of the
proximity of the rapidly expanding Heathrow airport, the typical English suburb of the 1950s
changed into an urban area with the largest concentration of Sikhs outside of Punjab.(1)
In 1951, the majority of the 330 Commonwealth immigrants at the forefront of a first wave of immigrants were Sikhs. They were followed by family
and friends from India and East Africa. Then came
citizens of Pakistan and refugees from Uganda. The
host population grew smaller. Green fields were re-
(1) According to latest 2011 census the demographic picture has changed. Today Slough has
the highest number of Sikhs followed by Wolverhampton and the Hounslow.
Remembering the Holocaust
This year Yom HaShoah falls on 5th May. Whichever day you choose to remember the victims of
the holocaust (Shoah) and of past and present genocides does not matter. What is important is that
we do not forget lest they happen again.
Last year on the 70th anniversary of the liberation
of Auschwitz, David Cameron said he would
build a striking national memorial in London to
show the importance Britain places on preserving
the memory of the Holocaust. This year, he announced he would build it in Victoria Tower Gardens beside parliament “as a permanent statement
of our values as a nation and will be something
for our children to visit in generations to come”.
It is planned for 2017.
Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) was established in
2005 on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of
Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.
Since then HMD also remembers the victims of
many genocides throughout the world especially
during the last century. It falls each year on 27th January. The theme this year was: Don't stand by.
Most boroughs, often in conjunction with the local
forum of faith, held a commemorative event so
many different faith organisations.
According to HMD Trust, the number of local commemorative activities in the UK has grown in 10
years from 266 in 2006 to 5590 in 2016, which included media coverage of some events. Last year,
on the 70th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, there were also some very interesting documentaries. This year apparently about 500 000 people watched the Commemorative Ceremony from
Guildhall on BBC2. I was at this Ceremony and at
the one at City Hall. They were both truly amazing
experiences, especially as there were testimonies
from survivors who were still alive. I talked about
the events to many people but was struck by the
lack of awareness or disinterest generally.
There is another Holocaust Remembrance Day,
which was set up in 1948 by the State of Israel. It
occurs on the 27th of Nisan, the closest date (in the
Jewish calendar) to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
Of course, there is already a simple but poignant
Holocaust Memorial in a garden in Hyde Park.
We shall visit it this year as part of our annual
multi-faith pilgrimage.
Shoah, which means catastrophe or utter destruction in Hebrew, refers to the atrocities that were
committed against the Jewish people during
World War II. The Shoah is also known as the
Holocaust, from a Greek word meaning "sacrifice
by fire."
3
Westminster Interfaith
Two unusual Christmas Events
On 29th December a most unusual event took
place at the Hyderi Shi’a Islamic Centre in
Streatham. Their senior citizens, in association
with the South London Inter Faith Group and
Faiths Together in Lambeth, invited Christians and
others to join them for a Christmas-Milad lunch to
mark the birthdays of both Jesus and Muhammad.
Unusual because the Islamic calendar is a lunar
one and the birthdays rarely coincide and unusual
because we do not know of another such joint
event taking place. It was a lovely shared occasion
starting with the Muslim afternoon prayer followed by a welcome from Vice President Abbas
Datoo, poetry by Sajid Alidina, scriptural talks by
Ebrahim Rashid and by Alan Gadd and the singing
of ‘We Three Kings’. A quiz led by Afzal Somji
caused much discussion and laughter. Diana and
Khadija, representing the Christian and Muslim
communities, in a symbolic gesture cut a birthday
cake in honour of Jesus and Muhammad. It was a
joyful moment. Finally we were all treated to a
delicious three course meal. Also remarkable was
that throughout, men and women were together,
using both the men’s and the women’s prayer
halls, with just a mobile separation screen during
the actual prayer time. Feedback from those who
attended has been very positive. Many thanks are
due to the organisers for this happy experience.
At a time when extremists are tearing the world
apart, the powerful force of world faiths was celebrated at an unusual Christmas event, organised by
the League of British Muslims.
The event was held on 17 December at Ilford. It
brought together community and national leaders
and representatives from the UK armed forces to
celebrate Christmas, together with Eid ul Fitr,
Vesak, Chanukah, and Diwali. It is an annual event
that has been held over the past 14 years.
The theme of this year’s event was: “The role of
Muslim communities in Reducing Extremism”.
Welcoming the audience, chairman of the league,
Bashir Chaudhry said: “We are all human beings, it
doesn’t matter how we pray.”
All praised the event and what it has achieved over
the years. Jonathan Arkush, President of The Board
of Deputies of British Jews, said: “We also encountered challenges and hardships when there was Jewish emigration to Britain over 100 years ago and
finding our place in Britain’s society. This is an extraordinary event and a testimony to the fact that we
can work together, despite our differences. We
should not be talking about whether a community is
a guest community or a host community. We are all
one community.
Thanks to Don de Silva
Sarah Thorley and Rizwan Alibhai
13th National Peace Symposium
On 19 March 2016, the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa
(Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad delivered the keynote address at the 13th National Peace Symposium hosted by the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community UK. The event was held at the
Baitul Futuh Mosque in London with an audience of
more than 900 people, from 26 countries, including
over 500 non-Ahmadi guests comprising Government Ministers, Ambassadors of State, Members of
both Houses of Parliament and various other dignitaries and guests.
His Holiness also presented Ms Hadeel Qassim,
with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Prize for the Advancement of Peace in recognition of her outstanding efforts to personally alleviate the suffering of thousands of refugee children stranded in dangerous and
inhospitable camps in the Middle East. During his
address, His Holiness spoke of the fundamental
need for justice and equity at all levels of society in
order for genuine and long-lasting peace to be established.
name of Islam. His Holiness also stated that there
was no punishment for apostasy in Islam and that
the Holy Quran was the standard-bearer for universal religious freedom. He reiterated the need to
cut the supply lines and funding of all terrorist and
extremist groups worldwide.
He called on the media to use its influence “as a
force for good and a force for peace” by publicising
the positive activities of the majority of Muslims
across the world as opposed to the “tiny minority”
who were perpetrating mass cruelties falsely in the
“May Allah grant patience and comfort to the family of Mr Shah during this difficult time and may
Allah the Almighty exhibit His mercy and grace
on the deceased. Ameen.”
The following week the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was shocked by the murder of Mr Asad
Shah of Glasgow, one of their members, who sent
Easter greetings to his Christian customers. They
issued the following statement: “It was a completely brutal, horrific and unjustified attack and
such murders are a cause of extreme grief and sadness and our prayers are with the victim and his
family. Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall
we return (Holy Quran, chapter 2, verse 157)”.
“It is hoped that those involved in this heinous
crime are brought to justice and that their punishment is a means of deterrence to others who harbour any form of religious extremism or hatred.
Certainly there is no place for any form of extremism in a civilised and peaceful society.”
4
Westminster Interfaith
Launch of Women of Faith Network
It always feels important to be invited to attend the
House of Lords!!
However, more than the venue, it was this Launch
that really mattered. And, as those engaged in interfaith work packed into Committee Room 5, I could
judge how needed those women & men of Faith
considered this venture to be.
I was asked to read a message from Cardinal Nichols supporting it, and David Cameron and Nicky
Morgan MP also sent their encouragement, and Stephen Timms MP actually spent over an hour in the
meeting, listening to contributions from speakers
and from the floor.
There were 5 short inputs, but the one I remember
best was from Professor Ursula King inspiring us
with her own childhood story in war-torn Germany
and how this has led her throughout her life in education to work for Peace through the promotion of
women. I know Ursula's work from her writings,
but the 4 other speakers also held my attention, in
particular that by Ravinder Kaur Nijjar who is
Chair of the UK Women's Faith Network. I was left
thinking that this Network has a very good chance
of succeeding – in her hands and that of her committee.
There was excellent participation from the Floor
(younger as well as older) – powerful evidence of
the quality of the assembled audience. Although
'audience' does not capture what the occasion was
designed for – 'participants' would get closer. One
practical person (I think from the CCJ) asked: so
what is the Network going to 'do'? Vital, for the
UKWFN is determined not to be a talking-shop.
An immediate action is that it is promoting the
study of texts (Scriptural Reasoning) on the place
of women in world faiths. A book: The Dignity of
Women, Scriptural Reflections - had been prepared
for the Meeting, and copies were freely available.
Sister Elizabeth
Message from
Cardinal Vincent Nichols
Archbishop of Westminster
I am delighted that a Women of Faith Network is
being launched in the UK. This comes at a time
when productive and open interfaith dialogue is
desperately needed to foster peace.
The Women of Faith Network offers valuable opportunities to work together for the common good
and to act as an example to young women of faith
who are finding their way in this world, discovering how their faith impacts on their life and on society. There is an invaluable contribution that
women can make to society through this interfaith
dialogue that offers shared resources and ideas.
I pray that, through your faith and shared values,
this network brings fruitful and lasting relationships in pursuit of peace in our world.
Woman appointed Head of Mosque
On 8th March, International Women’s Day, the
Mevlana Rumi Mosque Board of Trustees appointed Mrs Seval Gokce as the new Executive Director
of the mosque in Edmonton Green, London. Mrs
Gokce will be supported by a team of Imams and
staff, who are confident that she will bring her
years of experience in teaching, education and
management to the mosque. Prior to this appointment, Mrs Gokce was Deputy Head Teacher of a
London Grammar school.
Daphne Phillips RIP
On the bus going to Daphne's funeral in Tooting I
passed Wandsworth cemetery where Brother Daniel
Faivre is buried with other members of his congregation. I immediately thought of Daniel and wondered if he had ever met Daphne. I decided to ask
for Daniel's prayers and thought he's not here, he's
in heaven. If they did not meet here they will certainly get to know each other there.
people who came to pay their respects. She was an
educated woman with a hidden depth. She held a
first class honours degree in Economics from Manchester University and a PhD from Canberra University. She had travelled extensively and did many
jobs, mainly in the arts and entertainment. She was
a widow with no children.
What amazed me were the many other activities in
which she was actively involved. Apart from the
two already mentioned, she was a member of Justice and Peace, Pax Christi, Putney Writers' Club
and probably many others. Only the other day, I
found out that she was Treasure of South London
Interfaith Group in the 90s and she regularly organized the Women's Day of Prayer in her parish. She
will be missed. May she rest in peace and rise in
glory.
I did not know Daphne well. She was regularly at
meetings of South London Christian Unity Commission which I also attended infrequently, but we
rarely spoke to each other. She also went to South
London Interfaith Group, which meets once a
month. That's where I got to know her slightly more
and discovered that Daphne was a quiet, private
individual with an inner warmth.
At the funeral I found out so much more about her,
from her sister-in-law, Caroline and from the many
Jon
5
Westminster Interfaith
Vatican message to Jains
The Holy See has issued this message on the festival of Mahavir Jayanti, anniversary of the birth of
the 24th and last Thirtankara (teacher) of the Jain
faith, which falls on 19th April this year.
God is Mercy, p. 91). Thus a compassionate person
always manifests humanness, human face and human touch. A merciful person on the other hand
shows understanding towards the offender and forgiveness for wrongdoing, both great and small. For
this to happen, compassion, love, mercy, forgiveness
and charity need to become the lifeline and lifestyle
of all.
Jainism is part of the family of Dharmic religions,
with a spirituality based on a cyclical understanding of life and of the world. Jainism focuses on
non-violence as its core value, which includes
strict vegetarianism.
Evidently, formation and education in this respect
must begin in the family which “is the first and most
important school of mercy” (Pope Francis, Message
for the World Day of Peace, 2016) and of humanity
and solidarity. It is in the family that children, led by
the example of parents and elders learn and practice
the values of love, sharing, respect, tolerance, peace,
honesty, fidelity, justice, compassion, forgiveness
etc. The role of educational institutions both secular
and religious too is vital in inculcating in the students such values. Political as well as religious leaders and those handling social means of communication also have a great responsibility of being rolemodels as well as protectors and promoters of a culture of compassion and mercy.
Jains believe that every being has a soul, including
animals and plants. Overcoming earthly desires
and attachments is highly valued, and believed to
lead to an unselfish lifestyle that does as little
harm as possible to all beings. Jains believe that
every person has the potential to achieve such
freedom, and aim to end the cycle of rebirth they
believe every being undergoes. In addition, Jains
follow the principles of truthfulness, of taking
nothing that is not freely given, of chastity, and of
not being dominated by material desires (nonattachment). This is reflected in the teachings of
Lord Mahavir, who lived in the 6th century BC.
There are about 25,00 Jains in UK.
‘Compassion’ and ‘mercy’ are core values for both
of our religious traditions. The Christian faith teaches us that God is full of compassion and mercy
(Holy Bible, Psalm 103:8) of which Jesus Himself is
the veritable epitome. On the directive of Pope Francis, we, the Catholics all over the world celebrate the
current year as the Year of Mercy during which we
seek to do gestures and acts of mercy. The profoundly rich concepts of Ahimsᾱ (non-violence), dayᾱ
(mercy),
karunᾱ
(compassion),
kshamᾱ
(forgiveness) and the observation every year of a
More resources and information on Jainism are
available on website: http://beta.jainpedia.org/.
MESSAGE FOR MAHAVIR JAYANTI 2016
Christians and Jains:
Together to foster a culture of compassion and
mercy for peace
Dear Jain Friends,
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
sends you its warmest greetings on the occasion of
the Birth Anniversary of Tirthankar Vardhaman
Mahavir falling this year on the 19th of April. May
all the religious celebrations, observances and festivities of this event bring you greater serenity and
happiness, so also stronger familial and communitarian bonds of love.
Day of Universal Forgiveness in your religious
tradition surely call upon you the Jains to shape a
more humane and compassionate world. Our
traditions thus embrace each other in their purpose
of nurturing compassion and mercy.
As believers grounded in our own respective
religions and as members of one human family
conscious of our shared responsibility towards
society, may we Christians and Jains, joining hands
with others, through our acts of mercy and
compassion in our daily lives, promote a culture of
compassion and mercy for a world of peace!
Human beings have always shown in our chequered history gestures of solidarity, to varying degrees, in the wake of miseries and mishaps that
befell on fellow beings. Happily and fortunately,
this magnanimous legacy is carried on by individuals and groups showcasing common humanness
beyond every religious and parochial divide almost in all parts of the globe.
Wish you all a happy feast of Mahavir Janma
Kalyanak!
Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran
In the context of a disturbingly growing global
phenomenon of insensitivity to the needs and cries
of other human beings today, Pope Francis reminds us that “Mercy is divine and has to do with
the judgement of sin (wrongdoing). Compassion
has a more human face. It means to suffer with, to
suffer together, to not remain indifferent to the
pain and the suffering of others” (The Name of
President
Father Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, MCCJ
Secretary
6
Westminster Interfaith
31st Annual Multi-Faith Pilgrimage for Peace and Friendship
General Information
Our multi-faith pilgrimage for peace this year will
take place earlier than usual on Saturday 21st May. It
will be mainly in the Royal Borough of Kensington
but starting on the edge of Westminster. We thank all
places of worship and Kensington Forum of Faiths
for their help and encouragement.
As the places of worship are quite spread out in the
borough, we shall be travelling mainly by public
transport. You will need an Oyster card, a Contactless
Credit or Debit Card, a Freedom Pass or a one-day
off peak Travel Card for zones 1-2, which costs the
most.
There will be some walking to and from bus stops
and stations and between some places of worship but
this will be minimal. What is important is that we
wait for one another as we gather to proceed from
one place to another.
It is going to be a bit of an adventure, however, if we
are kind, patient, tolerant and support one another on
this journey, and try to stay with our group, it will be
a valuable and interesting experience, an enjoyable
day out and a wonderful opportunity to mix and mingle with others as well as discover the rich diversity
of the borough.
Wear modest, comfortable clothing. Bring a scarf or
head covering, plenty of good humour and a bottle of
water.
Volunteers
Ideally, in order for the day to work out smoothly, we
need a number of volunteers to act as stewards and
help usher pilgrims from one place to another and
possibly look after a small group of people. It would
be particularly helpful if you know the area or could
come for a short briefing session before the pilgrimage. Get in touch if you are willing and available to
take on this responsibility and indicate this on the
booking form, even if it is just for part of the day.
Booking and Options
You are free to join the pilgrimage at any point but
registration is essential. We would appreciate if you
could fill in the booking form indicating when and
where you will join us so that we can inform the places of worship with names and numbers for security
and catering purposes.
As both Westminster Synagogue and the Baha’i Centre can only accommodate about 35 visitors at a time,
please also indicate on the booking form which of the
following options you prefer for the morning session.
Jews who died in the Shoah as well as all victims
of religious persecution and genocide. It is a bit
out of the way but worth visiting. If you cannot
make it here, join us somewhere along the route
at the appropriate place and time.
The Holocaust Memorial is a garden of boulders surrounded by white-stemmed birch trees,
located to the east of The Dell in Hyde Park.
Nearest Station: Knightsbridge (Piccadilly
Line). Buses: 9, 10, 14, 19, 22, 52, 74, 137, 414.
By underground at Knightsbridge station, do not
use Brompton Road / Harrods exit, but follow
directions for Sloane Street / Knightsbridge. At
top of escalators, take Exit 1: Knightsbridge
north side/Hyde Park. At street level, you
should come out by Rolex shop and Serpentine
Walk, where there is a local map. Turn left (east)
towards Hyde Park Corner. After 100m turn Left
at Albert Gate towards Hyde Park. Cross South
Carriage Drive at traffic lights. Cross Rotten
Row, Holocaust Memorial is straight ahead about
50metres to the east of fenced area called The
Dell, south-east of the Serpentine.
Summary of the Pilgrimage
9.00am Holocaust Memorial Garden in Hyde
Park for prayer and briefing.
9.15am Depart Holocaust Memorial Garden.
Proceed westwards to Rutland Gardens to visit:
9.30am Westminster Synagogue, Kent House,
Rutland Gardens, London SW7 1BX
9.40am National Baha'i Centre 27 Rutland
Gate, London SW7 1PD
10.00am Ismaili Centre, 1-7 Cromwell Gardens,
London SW7 2SL
11.00am St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church,
Allen Street, Kensington, London, W8 6UX
12.00pm Our Lady of Victories Roman Catholic Church, 235a Kensington High Street, London, W8 6SA
12.30pm Our Lady of Victories Parish Hall
Lunch provided by Sachkhand Nanak Dham
International
1.45pm Kensington United Reformed Church,
Allen Street, London W8 6BL Welcome by
Kensington Forum of Faiths and Russian Orthodox Liturgy
3.15pm MCHC, Muslim Cultural Heritage
Centre 244 Acklam Road , London W10 5YG
4.45pm Central Gurdwara (Khalsa Jatha)
London 62 Queensdale Road London W11 4SG
6.00pm End of Pilgrimage
Further comprehensive details when you book. A
pilgrimage brochure will be available on the day.
1. Westminster Synagogue and Coptic Church;
2. National Baha'i Centre and Coptic Church;
3. Ismaili Centre.
We gather at the Holocaust Memorial in Hyde Park
for a briefing and pause to remember the millions of
7
We look forward to hearing from you, receiving
your booking and seeing you on the day. Peace.
Westminster Interfaith
Books
PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD:
Meditations on the Most Beautiful Names of God
by Michael L. Fitzgerald,
PISAI
Pontificio Istituto di Studi Arabi e d'Islamistica,
Rome 2015
ISBN 978-88-99331-00-9
A CATHOLIC- SHI‘A ENGAGEMENT
Available in a 3-volume paperback set
ISBN 9781 901764 642 £30.00
For a number of years, a tradition of dialogue has
been established between Ampleforth Abbey, the
Heythrop Centre for Christianity and Interreligious
Dialogue, and the Imam Khomeini Education and
Research Institute, Qum, Iran. This has resulted in a
number of exchange visits between the institutes
and, in 2003, led to the first of these Conferences.
The others were held in 2005 and 2007. Each conference dealt with particular themes which are recorded in the following three books.
This book is a labour of love for many reasons.
Originally produced in French, it was meticulously
translated into English by Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald. To prepare these reflections, must have involved many hours of study and contemplation of
the Qur'an in the original Arabic and in the French
and English versions as well as an in depth appreciation of the Bible, especially the Psalms and the New
Testament.
Catholics and Shi‘a in Dialogue: Studies in Theology and Spirituality
edited by Anthony O’Mahony, Wulstan Peterburs
and Mohammad Ali Shomali
Faith and Reason in Theory and Practice
edited by Anthony O’Mahony, Wulstan Peterburs
and Mohammad Ali Shomali
Ethics in Today’s Society
edited by Anthony O’Mahony, Timothy Wright and
Mohammad Ali Shomali
All orders to: Melisende UK LTD, 33 Linkside
Road, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 5LR,
UK Tel. +44 (0)1279 659920
E: [email protected]
There are 8 chapters, plus an Introduction, a Conclusion, an Appendix with a List of the Names of God
in Arabic and English and a Preface, written by
Archbishop Kevin McDonald, Director of the Office
for Interreligious Relations of the Catholic Bishops'
Conference of England and Wales.
The book is an excellent way to get to know the
Qur'an and to become better acquainted with the
most beautiful names of God in order to praise, glorify and worship God. It does not deal with all the
traditional 99 names but with groups of names, presented almost in a crescendo from God the Creator
to the God of Peace.
—————————————————————
Monks and Muslims III - Towards a Global
Abrahamic Community,
edited by Mohammad Ali Shomali and William
Skudlarek ISBN: 9781904934240
It would be ideal to share these reflections with
someone who speaks and reads Arabic, not necessarily a Muslim but why not, to pronounce the most
beautiful names of God so you get maximum benefit
from it. It is not a book to read from cover to cover
in one or two sittings but to be savoured over a period of time. Each chapter is a journey, a three-part
meditation, which takes you from the teachings of
the Qur'an on one of the names of God to an understanding of that name in the Old Testament, especially in the Psalms and finally to the New Testament.
The book is based on the third conference jointly
sponsored by the International Institute for Islamic
Studies and Monastic Interreligious Dialogue which
brought together Iranian Shi'a Muslims and Christian monastics in Assisi, Italy in 2014. It represents
the culmination of the talks which started in 2003
and continued after 2007 and are reported in the 3volume pack above. This book is based on the sixth
round of talks between Catholic monastics and Shi'a
Muslims which was hosted by the Bose community
at the Monastery of San Masseo in Assisi in 2014.
I found that each section in many chapters afforded
me enough food for thought and meditation for one
sitting. In fact, I would propose that as Ramadan is
fast approaching, it would be most appropriate to
use this text to be in unity with our Muslim brothers
and sisters who will be fasting, praying and studying
the Qur'an throughout the month of June. If not during Ramadan, then whenever, because an excellent
way of understanding people of different faiths, in
this case Muslims, is to meditate on the texts they
use for prayer. That is surely one of the purposes of
this book but also as Archbishop Michael says in the
Introduction: "These texts are proposed not as an
object of study, but in order to lead to meditation
and prayer."
It is the fruit of many years of dialogue and friendship. It lead the contributors to choose the topic for
discussion as the title of the book and as the ideal to
aim for. The book is full of excellent papers which
explore the meaning of community in these two traditions and what is involved in forming, belonging
to, and acting as a community. It is extremely readable and uplifting, not what one would normally expect from conference transcripts. It is full of personal experiences and impressions. It demonstrates the
level of mutual understanding and friendship developed over the years of dialogue. I recommend it.
It is available from Institute of Islamic Studies, 140
Maida Vale, London W9 1QB Web: www.ic-el.com
8
Westminster Interfaith
Books
Sharing our Stories:
Some Personal Reflections on Life and Faith
compiled and edited by Cynthia and David Capey.
ISBN 978-1-902360-17-1
For 2015 World Interfaith Harmony Week Suffolk Inter Faith Resource launched a new compilation of personal reflections about life from a
diverse group of people in Suffolk. Their stories
highlight some of the challenges that face everyone wherever they live, including issues of gender, disability, race, persecution and displacement
and the struggles individuals may have in maintaining their integrity with regard to their faith and
spirituality.
Baha’is, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Humanists, Jains, Jews, Muslims, Pagans, Sikhs, Taoists
and Zoroastrians and many others who see themselves as outside these boxes. All their voices can
be heard through these stories.
Some of the stories will make you smile and some
are very moving. We recommend that you put
aside any prejudices you might have about religion and religious people, and buy the book. This
is about how people live their lives, their experiences, their families and their communities. Margaret Nelson, Humanist.
“And So What If We Are Different?”
by Joy Omara Xlibris Publishing
New book tells story that promotes racial, interreligious harmony, integration
In recent time religious tension has been on the rise
across the globe. Because a great deal of this tension
comes from prejudices imbibed at youthful age, it
follows that the young are a good place to start the
arduous work of promoting religious harmony. This
is the import of the book entitled And So What If
We Are Different? Joy Omara, the author, having
benefitted from practicing the two main religions in
the world, has produced a unique children’s book
that discounts age-old prejudices to make a case for
religious tolerance and amity.
This book tells the story of Maryam and Tiffany,
two friends in a divided society who dared to ask
“And So What If We Are Different?”, and embark on
a journey of interfaith discovery. As a result of this
journey, they both agree that only through tolerance,
acceptance of their differences and mutual respect
for each other would they remain as friends.
Hardcover ISBN 9781514464427 £28
Softcover ISBN 9781514462904 £18.99
E-Book ISBN 9781514462911
Book available from SIFRE www.sifre.org.uk
where further articles about the faiths of Suffolk
can be found.
Pre-launch Price: £10.00 P&P: £3.00 for one book
plus £1.50 for each extra book. Post Launch Price:
£15.00
Available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and
Google Books. Discounts for bulk orders from
www.xlibrispublishing.co.uk or through the author.
Book launch on Friday 20th May 2016 at Harrow
Arts Centre.
Courses and Events
Ammerdown Centre
Contact John Woodhouse 0790 8888 586 by text;
E: [email protected]
Ammerdown Park, Radstock, Somerset, BA3 5SW7 Tel:
01761 433709 Fax 01761 433094
www.ammerdown.org
For program of courses see website or contact Sarah
Chabowska, email: [email protected]
Conversations for the Soul
One to one conversations about beliefs and practices
SGI UK Buddhist South London National Centre,
1 Bernays Grove Brixton SW9 8DF
Every 3rd Wednesday of the month 6.45-8.30pm
Contact John Woodhouse 0790 8888 586 by text;
E: [email protected]
Sion Centre for Dialogue and Encounter
34 Chepstow Villas, W11 2QZ
Tel: 020 7727 3597 / 020 7313 8286
Lots of interesting talks, films and events, contact Sion
Centre for programme details
E: [email protected]
www.sistersofourladyofsion.org
South London Inter Faith Group
12.30-2pm. Meetings with Lunch on last Thursday of
the month at Streatham Friends Meeting House,
Roupell Park Estate, Redland Way, SW2 3LU.
Details: [email protected]
Westminster Cathedral Interfaith Group
North London Interfaith Discussion Group
Hinsley Room, Morpeth Terrace, SW1P 1Q. Every 3rd
Wednesday [4-5pm] Speakers from different faiths discuss Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment:
Laudato Si’, Our care for our common home.
20 April Sheikh Ramzy (Oxford Islamic Centre)
15 June Carol Gould (Jewish Journalist)
meets monthly on a Saturday Contact: Sister Elizabeth
0207 272 8048
London Peace Pagoda Battersea Park
Saturday 18 June 3-6pm 31st Anniversary of Peace
Pagoda with chanting from various
Continued on page 10
9
Westminster Interfaith
Courses and Events
East.
Sun 19 June 6.00pm. Sharing Meditation: An Exploration of Different Practices. Zen Tradition
Mon 20 June 10.15am Abrahamic Texts Group (at Al
khoei Foundation, Chevening Rd, NW6)
7.30pm. Dr Anne Richards, (National Adviser to the
Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England on mission theology, alternative spirituality and new religious
movements) ‘The Challenge of New Religious Movements’
Wed 29 June 7.30pm. Music of the Faiths
DETAILS OF ALL EVENTS ON THE WEBSITE:
http://londoninterfaith.org.uk/
Continued from page 9
Buddhist traditions, multi-faith prayers, various speakers and multi-cultural celebrations. Ven G. Nagase, c/o
Park Manager’s Office, Battersea Park, Albert Bridge
Rd, SW11 4NJ. T: 020 7228 9620
Nipponzan Myohoji Peace Pagoda,
Brickhill St, Willen Lake, Milton Keynes MK15 0BG
T: 01908 663 652
Sunday 19 June 10.30am-3.30pm Anniversary of
Peace Pagoda, includes Buddhist ceremony, multi-faith
prayers, various speakers on anti-nuclear activities and
non-violent action and multi-cultural celebrations.
Lunch provided.
Kensington Council of Churches
Christian Muslim Marriage Support Group
Kensington United Reformed Church
Allen Street, London W8 6BL
Star Centre at St Andrews, Fulham, London Contact
Rosalind or Heather confidentially through the inter
faith marriage website: www.interfaithmarriage.org.uk
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/
groups/185782491456844/
Three Faiths Forum
Contact: Phil Champain, The Director, 3FF, Star House,
104 Grafton Road, London NW5 4BA
Ham Faithful Friends
St Ethelburga’s Centre
78 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AG;T:020 7496 1610
www.stethelburgas.org; E:[email protected]
Contact: Diana Mills [[email protected]]
Fri 22 April 10am: Spiritual ecology - a deeper response to the ecological crisis;
Sat 23 April 7.30pm: Music and the dream of reconciliation in Afghanistan
Fri 6 May 10am: Permaculture for peace
Fri 27 May 6.30pm:Spiritual ecology-eyes of the wild
146
Park
Road
London
NW8
7RG
Contact Jayde Russell, Interfaith and Visits Coordinator
T: 0207 725 2212 E: [email protected]
London Central Mosque
Dialogue Society,
30A
Drayton
Park,
London
N5
Phone:
+
44
(0)
20
7619
Web: www.dialoguesociety.org
London Interfaith Centre
125 Salusbury Rd London NW6 6RG
Enquiries to [email protected]
1PB
0361
Scarboro Missions Interfaith Dept.
2685 Kingston Rd, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M1M 1M4
Tel. 416-261-7135 ext. 296
www.scarboromissions.ca Lots of useful resources,
including Principles and guidelines for interfaith dialogue; Guidebook to address Islamophobia; Interfaith toolkits for Christian congregations, etc Contact
Paul McKenna or check website.
Sun 24 April 6.00pm.Sikh-Christian Dialogue
Thurs 28 April 6.00pm. London Citizens Mayoral
Assembly at the Copper Box, Q.E. Olympic Park
Sat 30 April Zen Day
Tues 10 May 5.00pm. Silent Vigil for the Middle East.
Fri 20 May Evening Phil Cousineau, Author of
“Beyond Forgiveness”, workshop ‘Forgiveness is not
Enough’
Sun 22 May 6.00pm. Sharing Meditation: An Exploration of Different Practices: Yoga Tradition
Sun 5 June 6.00pm. Sughra Ahmed (Woolf Institute,
Cambridge) ‘European Narratives of Settlement’
Tues 14 June 5.00pm. Silent Vigil for the Middle
Soul of India Tours
79 College Road Harrow HA1 1BD T: 020 8901 7630
E: [email protected] Lots of interesting faith
and cultural tours in India.
‘Amazing Grace’ Concert
To celebrate 50 Golden Years of Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai, Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (London Centre) is delighted to invite us to a unique Multi-Faith Concert at
7.30pm on Sunday 8th May 2016 at the historic Union chapel in Islington, London. Tickets are
free. Booking essential through me by email. Westminster Interfaith has an allocation.
A Reminder!
Annual Subscription / Membership to Westminster Interfaith Newsletter
If you have not sent your annual contribution to support the printing and postage of the Newsletter, please send a cheque made out to Westminster Interfaith: £15 for UK postal subscribers; £25
for overseas postal subscribers and £6.00 for email subscribers. Send the cheque with your details
to Jon Dal Din, Westminster Interfaith, Vaughan House, 46 Francis Street, London SW1P 1QN.
Many thanks.
10
Westminster Interfaith
Calendar of Religious Festivals
5 May
5 May
ASCENSION DAY (40 days after Easter) Christian (Western Churches) commemorates the last earthly appearance of the Risen Christ, who ascended into heaven in the presence of many witnesses. The
Catholic Church in England celebrates this feast on the following Sunday, 8th May
THE PROPHET’S NIGHT JOURNEY AND ASCENT/LAILAT (LAYLAT) UL ISRA WALMIRAJ (27th Rajab) Muslim This celebrates the journey of the Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to
Jerusalem through the heavens to the presence of God, all in one night. On this night the command that
Muslims should pray five times each day was given to the Prophet. The rock in Jerusalem from which
the Prophet ascended is now contained in the Dome of the Rock. Muslims mark this night by reading
the Qur’an and saying additional prayers.
15 May
PENTECOST / WHIT SUNDAY Christian (Western Churches) Pentecost is often seen as the
‘birthday’ of the Church, since this is when the disciples of Jesus first proclaimed the Gospel after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is named after the Jewish festival day on which this event happened 50 days (7 weeks after Easter) The name of Whitsun comes from the custom of converts presenting themselves for baptism on this day dressed in white.
15-21 May
CHRISTIAN AID WEEK Christian Initiated in 1945, this week is devoted to fund raising by members of various churches to help the needy throughout the world, regardless of religion or race, in over
60 countries, to improve their own lives and tackle the causes of poverty and injustice.
VESAKHA PUJA/WESAK/BUDDHA DAY/BODHI DAY Buddhist Theravadin Buddhists celebrate
the birth, enlightenment under the Bodhi tree and final passing away of Guatama Buddha. Mahayanists
have separate days for each event.
THE NIGHT OF FORGIVENESS/LAILAT-UL-BARA’AH (14th Sha’ban) Muslim BIRTHDAY
of 12th IMAM, Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Mahdi (Shi‘a) On 14th Sha’ban, 8th month of the Muslim
calendar and two weeks before Ramadan commences, Muslims seek forgiveness for their sins. The
night is spent in prayer.
TRINITY SUNDAY Christian In the West, Trinity Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost.
Christians reflect on the mystery of God, who is seen as One but is understood in and through God the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
ANNIVERSARY OF THE DECLARATION OF THE BAB (Baha’i) The Bab heralded the arrival
of Baha’ullah and was co-founder of the Baha’i faith. He first declared his mission in Persia in 1844. He
inaugurated the Baha’i calendar which numbers itself from the year of this declaration.
ZARATOSHT NO DISO Zoroastrian (Shenshai; Parsi) 26 December Zoroastrian (Iranian) The
death anniversary of the Prophet Zarathushtra is a sorrowful occasion. Tradition records that this is
when he was assassinated at the age of 77. It is customary to visit the Fire Temple, participate in special
remembrance prayers (to him and to the Fravashis (the guardian spirits of departed ancestors), and ponder upon the Gathas or Hymns of Zarathushtra, which embody his message to humanity.
21 May
22 May
22 May
23 May
24 May
26 May
25 May
29May
7 June to
5 July
9 June
LAG B’OMER Jewish The Omer period of 49 days, lasting from Pesach to Shavuot, is a time of sadness, relieved on this, the 33rd day, which recalls the end of a plague in Roman times. Many weddings
take place, since they are not permitted during the other days of the Omer.
CORPUS CHRISTI Christian celebrates the institution of the Eucharist. It falls 60 days after Easter,
on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. Many Church now celebrate it on the Sunday after Trinity Sunday. Processions of the Blessed Sacrament are common.
ANNIVERSARY OF THE ASCENSION OF BAHA’U’LLAH Baha’i Commemorates the death of
Baha’u’llah at Bahji, near Acre, in 1892. His shrine there is the place towards which all Baha’is face
when praying.
RAMADAN Muslim During Ramadan Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. Fasting (sawn) is one of the 5
pillars of Islam. It is the holiest month of the year. Muslims dedicate themselves to spiritual renewal,
prayer and intensive devotional reading of the Qur’an. The fast is traditionally broken each evening by
taking dates and water.
DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL/DUANWUJIE/TUAN YANG CHIEH Chinese Boat races between
slim rowing boats shaped like dragons. People also go down to rivers to picnic and celebrate on boats.
Originally commemorated the suicide by drowning of poet and statesman Ch’u Yuan in 279 BCE.
12-13 June
SHAVUOT / THE FEAST OF WEEKS / PENTECOST Jewish a two day festival which falls seven
weeks after Pesach. It celebrates the revelation of the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai, and marks the
time when the first harvest was taken to the Temple. Synagogues are decorated with flowers and dairy
foods are traditionally eaten. For Orthodox Jews work is not permitted throughout the festival
29 May
MARTYRDOM OF GURU ARJAN (1606) Sikh The fifth Guru was executed on the orders of the
Moghul Emperor, Jehangir, for refusing to pay a fine. Guru Arjan made the first compilation of the Sikh
Scriptures, called the Adi Granth, and supervised the completion of the Golden Temple in Amritsar. A
gurpurb is held on this day including a continuous reading of Adi Granth.
Continued on back page 12
11
Westminster Interfaith
Calendar of Religious Festivals:
Continued from page 11
19 June
PENTECOST Christian (Eastern Orthodox Churches) An important festival in the
Christian year, Pentecost is often seen as the ‘birthday’ of the Church, since this is when
the disciples of Jesus first proclaimed the Gospel after receiving the gift of the Holy
Spirit. It is named after the Jewish festival day on which this event happened.
20 June
MIDSUMMER SOLSTICE Wiccan Pagan SUMMER SOLSTICE (Alban Heruin or
Alban Hefin) Druid The festival of Midsummer, sometimes called Litha. The light of
the sun is at the height of its power. It is a time of plenty and celebration.
21 June
WORLD HUMANIST DAY is a day for spreading awareness of Humanism as a philosophical life stance and as a means for effecting change in the world. It is also seen as a
time for Humanists to gather socially and promote the positive values of Humanism.
28 June
LAILAT-UL-QADR / THE NIGHT OF POWER / HONOUR / DIGNITY Muslim
(Shi‘a) This commemorates the night in 610 CE when the prophet Muhammad received
his first visit from the angel Jibril (Gabriel) and his revelation of the Qur’an. Many
Muslims spend the last ten days and nights of Ramadan secluded in the mosque, praying
and studying the Qur’an, to ensure they receive the special benefits promised for their
prayers and devotions on Lailat-ul-Qadr.
Service
A
priest
was
walking down a
street when he saw
a little boy jumping
up and down trying
to ring a door bell.
The poor kid was
too small and the
bell too high. So the
priest went up and
rang the bell for the
little fellow. Then,
turning to the kid
with
smile,
he
asked, “What do we
do now?” The little
fellow said, “Run
like hell.”
*********
1 July
JASHN-E TIRGAN Zoroastrian Festival is devoted to the divinity Tir. It is customary The Ministry of
to visit the Fire Temple to give thanks to Ahura Mazda, participate in a jashan, thanks- Agriculture decreed
giving ceremony, listen to stories, share a meal, play games, dance and make merry.
that sparrows were
3 July
LAILAT-UL-QADR / THE NIGHT OF POWER / HONOUR / DIGNITY Muslim crops and should be
(Sunni) See 28 June above.
exterminated. When
5 July
BIRTHDAY OF GURU HAR GOBIND (1595-1644) 6th Guru Sikh (Nanakshahi)
6 July
RATHA YATRA Hindu ‘Chariot journey’. This is observed most notably at Puri in the
Indian state of Orissa, where processions of thousands of devotees pull huge wagons
(rathas) supporting images of Krishna. He is known under the name of ‘Jagannath’,
(Lord of the Universe), from which the English term ‘juggernaut’ comes. Krishna is
attended on his journey by his brother and sister.
7 July
EID-UL-FITR / FEAST OF FAST BREAKING (1st Shawwal) Muslim Celebrations
of this festival may extend over the first three days of the month of Shawwal, the
month following Ramadan, although only the first day’s celebration is religiously sanctioned. It is a time for making gifts to the poor (Zakat-ul-Fitr, the charity of the fast,
must be paid before the Eid prayer). Now is a time for new clothes, good food, and presents for children. Families get together and contact friends, especially those who live
far away. The community will assemble for Eid prayer and a sermon at the mosque or at
a large place which will accommodate the whole community of the town or village. The
traditional greeting is ‘Eid Mubarak’ – ‘a happy and blessed Eid’.
9 July
ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARTYRDOM OF THE BAB Baha’i The Bab was executed by firing squad in Tabriz, Persia, at noon on this day in 1850. His death is commemorated at noon with readings and prayers from the Baha’i Scriptures.
15 July
ASALHA PUJA Buddhist Dhammacakka day –‘The turning of the wheel of teaching’.
A Theravada celebration of the First Proclamation by Gautama to five ascetics in the
Deer Park near Benares. In it he taught the Middle Way, the Noble Eightfold Path and
the Four Noble Truths.
23 July
BIRTHDAY OF HAILE SELASSIE I Rastafarian This is one of the holiest days of
the Rastafarian year. It is celebrated with Nyahbinghi drumming, hymns and prayers.
a menace to the
this
was
done
hoards of insects
that the sparrows
would have eaten
descended on the
harvest and began
to ravage the crops,
whereupon
the
Ministry
of
Agriculture came
up with the idea of
costly
pesticides.
The pesticides made
the food expensive.
They also made it a
hazard to health.
Too late it was
discovered that it
was the sparrows
who,
though
feeding on the
crops, managed to
keep
the
food
wholesome
and
inexpensive.
From:' the Prayer of
Westminster Interfaith Newsletter is published five times a year. Subscriptions are £15.00 per the Frog' by A. de
Mello S.J. By kind
year in UK (£25.00 overseas), or we are happy to receive what you can afford.
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Westminster
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