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Westminster Interfaith Newsletter
Issue 66 – May 2010
Focolare President's Trip to Asia: in dialogue with Buddhists
With the blessing of Pope Benedict XVI, Maria Voce, the new president of the Focolare Movement began 2010 with her first trip to Asia, to visit Focolare communities in Korea, Japan, Philippines and Thailand, as well as the local Catholic Bishop in each city. A special feature of her trip was the inclusion of a number of interfaith encounters.
In Tokyo, Japan, Maria Voce was invited to address 5000 adherents of the lay Buddhist movement, Rissho Kosei Kai (RKK), continuing the work started by Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, 30 years ago, when, in 1981, she was invited by the founder of RKK, Nikkyo Niwano, to share her Christian experience with over 10000 adherents of RKK, sowing the seeds of a dialogue of life that has developed over the years.
In Bangkok, Thailand, Maria Voce spoke at the IVth Christian-Buddhist symposium on the subject: "Dharma and Buddhist compassion – Christian Agape in the world today." The symposium was attended by participants from Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, USA, Great Britain and Italy. While in Thailand, Maria Voce met Grand Master Ajahn Tong and spoke to young Buddhist monks at Mahachulalongkorn University.
In an interview with Carla Cotignoli of SIF, before her departure, Maria Voce said: "I am really happy to go to Asia, I am full of joy, though I feel the responsibility, and I am apprehensive about so much that is unknown to me. The joy of meeting these cultures is greater, however. Sure, I think, I'm going to huge countries like Japan and Korea, and I'll be there for four days. What can I understand in four days? Our way of understanding is not to discover every detail, but to encounter the soul of each people even through just one representative.
The most important thing is to establish relationships. One of these relationships, of course, is the dialogue with the Buddhist movement Rissho Kosei Kai. I think this is very important, because it is part of a continuing experience that began with Chiara thirty years ago, and must not stop: it must receive a new boost.
The contact with Thai Buddhism will be very important, when I take part in the symposium in Bangkok and meet Buddhist monks in Chiang Mai. The most important aspect of this will be establishing personal relationships with the Grand Master, and with the leadership of Rissho Kosei Kai, and even with just one representative of those peoples who can help me understand their lives."
From the Focolare website: www.focolare.org
