Sharing Christ Across Cultures and Faiths
Fr. Joeven Matugas will join the staff at The Missionary Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. From the Philippines, Fr. Joeven worked extensively in Sierra Leone, Africa, for about ten years. He will be arriving on April 5. Welcome Fr. Joeven.
Friends of all faiths are welcome to gather with our Muslim friends during this special time of Ramadan to share a meal and friendship. Register here if you can make it.
The 21
A short film honoring the 21 Coptic martyrs killed by ISIS in Libya in 2015. The film is animated in the style of Coptic iconography and was produced in collaboration with the global Coptic community and a team of more than 70 artists from more than 24 countries. Subtitles are available in Spanish, French, Arabic, Russian, and Farsi – select your language in the Closed Caption (CC) setting at the bottom right corner of the film!
New Mission Blog Post: The Shared Wisdom of Sacred Hunger
The Multifaith Collaborative of the Open Spirit Center near Fatima Shrine recently held an Interfaith Iftar, or breaking of the fast of Ramadan, to which all peoples of all faiths are invited. One of our speakers was Dr. Sadik Kassim, a scientist specializing in Gene Therapy for Cancer and chaplain of the Taha Collective, a nonprofit organization established to serve the Muslim-American and spiritually curious community of the Boston metropolitan area. Here is his talk on fasting across religious traditions. Used with permission.
In every faith tradition represented in this room tonight, there is a moment when hunger becomes holy. For Muslims now observing Ramadan, dawn breaks with a prayer instead of breakfast. For Jews commemorating Yom Kippur, the body’s emptiness creates space for atonement. For Christians during Lent, each hunger pang whispers the story of forty days in the wilderness.
Message of Pope Francis for World Mission Sunday Highlighting our Opportunity in the Jubilee 2025
Contact admin@hollistoninterfaith.org or see our website at hollistoninterfaith.org
Mission Blog: A New US Presidential Election and a Changing America: The Dilemma of US Catholics
In the United States, we recall the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 20 of each year, just before Black History Month. It invites us to reflect deeply on the soul of our communities and the challenges we have yet to undertake.
Brian Massingale for America Magazine wrote: “King declared that the mission of the civil rights movement was “to redeem the soul of America.” This vision grounded his struggles against the interlocking evils of racial injustice, economic exploitation, and expansive militarism. Retrieving this mission provides a valuable orientation as we address the contemporary challenge of pursuing justice in a polarized society.”[i]
On that same day, a newly elected president began his new term. Like King, the inauguration of a newly elected president is also a time to ponder the “soul of America” as we move forward. However, this presidential election tapped deep into our fears: fears of immigrants and refugees, fears of a global world “encroaching” on American identity, fears of an evolving culture, and growing pluralism, religiously and psychologically. Many feel overwhelmed with the vestiges of globalization and the uncertainties that left many economically, culturally, and morally.[ii]
In the Church’s interfaith movement, one of our unique opportunities is our interfaith solidarity, religious and secular dialogue, and collaboration. We began this work in 2013 by gathering secular humanists and spiritual leaders at our conference center in Coatbridge, Scotland. We continued this work in 2015 by convening a similar conference at Rutgers University in New Jersey, with secular and religious voices seeking common ground. For the last eight years, we have gathered a MeetUp group of religious and secular friends once a month. Search here on our website for a recap of these events, church teaching on understanding the culture of unbelief, and blog posts and articles written for further study. Our conversations now take place directly on Zoom without using Meetup. Contact missionmedia@xaverianmissionaries.org for more information.
LISTENING TO THOSE WHO LEFT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
In America the landscape of the Catholic Church is changing dramatically, as is all religious communities and institutions. The new mission of the Xaverian Missionaries seeks to engage with our Catholic tradition to all outside of the church, Christianity, and even religion itself. The departure of those formed in the Catholic faith is felt in every parish. Disaffiliated families make up the majority of Catholic communities throughout the country.
We listen to those who left the church and sacramental practice lovingly and empathetically.
We root ourselves in these departure narratives, learning about their world and how they walk in it.
We gain deeper insight into the needs, longings, and desires of young people and others, and in dialogue with our tradition, we can change our pastoral maps and parish cultures, beginning in Catholic families.
Catholic Interfaith Solidarity
Check out the latest resources and opportunities for Catholics and others to share our lives, faith, and friendship with people of other faiths and traditions. Click here. Other resources for interfaith dialogue may be found here.
