FRIDAY 14 JUNE 2013 – OSHWAL CENTER, POTTERS BAR –
Jains and Catholics discussed Ahimsa (non-violence) and its practice as a contribution for peace, during a visit by a senior members of the Catholic Church, to the Jain Derasar (Temple) at the Oshwal Centre.
The delegation from Rome was led by the His Eminence Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. The Cardinal is best known as the person who declared ‘Habemus Papam’, when he introduced Pope Francis to the world from the Vatican balcony, in March this year. They were being hosted jointly by the Institution of Jainology and the Oshwal Association of the UK.
The visit was a part of the drive by the Roman Catholic Church to build closer ties with different religions. This visit to the United Kingdom was specifically to meet the Jains, Sikhs and Hindus. Jains in the UK have close established relationship with the Vatican starting with the first visit to the Vatican by a delegation led by the Institute of Jainology in 1995 and a second delegation again led by the Institute of Jainology in December 2011. The Institute has also been sending delegates to the peace meetings in Asisi regularly.
This morning, Cardinal Tauran and seven other members of the party from The Holy See and the Catholic Church in England and Wales, were taken on a tour of the exquisite Jain Derasar at Oshwal Centre where they also witnessed an ‘aarti’ ceremony. Rex H. Shah, President of the Oshwal Association of the UK and Dr Harshad Sanghrajka Deputy Chairman of the Institute of Jainology, were among those hosting the Cardinal during his visit.
Mr Raaxeet Shah, the President of the Oshwal Association of the UK welcomed H E Cardinal and those with him. In his welcome addressed he also give a brief history of Jains in the UK and the history of Oshwal migration across the continents. Click here to read his address in full.
Later, speaking on the theme of non violence as a contribution to peace, Cardinal Tauran said “The rise of religious fundamentalism and the increase in the instances of inter-religious tensions in different parts of the contemporary world seem to make the sceptics of religions blame religion for all the ills affecting society. Let there be no doubt that religions are the cause of love, unity and peace and if any religion teaches the contrary, is no religion at all.” To read the full text of the speech click here. ”
Dr Nalini Balbir, Professor of Indology at the Sorbonne in Paris, spoke from the Jain perspective, stressing both the positive nature of Ahimsa in Jainism and its doctrine of Anekantavada (pluralism), which promotes co-existence and reconciliation She concluded that while the practice of Ahimsa by the individual can contribute to significant progress towards achieving world peace, it cannot provide a total solution because of factors of war such as expansionism by states and imposition of political systems or beliefs on others. To see the full script of Dr Balbir’s text please click here.
Professor Michael Barnes, Reader and Senior Tutor in Interreligious Relations at Heythrop College, University of London, acknowledged the centrality of Ahimsa to the Jain way of life. He also stressed each individual’s personal responsibility both to one another and the world. “In Christian terms whatever we have in this world comes from God as gift and is to be treated with reverence as a sign of God’s love for humankind. And perhaps the most important of gifts is peace – the source of Christian motivation to act responsibly”. To see the full script of Father Barnes’s text please click here.
Those themes were discussed in more detail by six panelists; Prof. Dr Nalini Balbir, Mr DineshDodhia, and Mrs Shruti Malde spoke on behalf of Jainism and Archbishop Kevin McDonald, Father Michael Barnes and Father Santiago Michael represented the Catholic point of view.
Dr Harshad Sanghrajka, Deputy Chairman of the Institute of Jainology expressed appreciation of all those who had made the program for the day successful. He also outlined the history of relationship between The Holy See and the Jains in the UK. He sent a message of good wishes to Her Majesty the Queen on her Golden Jubilee and a message of congratulations to the Holy Father, Pope Francis on his Papal appointment. He recited a Jain prayer of peace to conclude his vote of thanks. Please click here to read the full text of his address.
Apart from the local Jain leaders attending the event, Mr Girishbhai Shah and Mrs Shushilaben Shah of Jain Centre, Los Angeles and Mr Manish Mehta, Vice President, JAINA also attended the event.
His Eminence Cardinal Tauran with other members of his visiting party joined some 300 members of the Jain community for a sumptuous lunch prepared by the volunteers at the Oshwal Centre
The Cardinal departed after lunch when the Officers of Oshwal Association of the UK took the opportunity to honour Mr Bakulbhai Mehta, President of the Jain Sangh in Oman who had come specially for this visit along with his wife. He was presented with a beautifully carved marble idol of Bhagwan Mahavir.
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