News

Egyptian Muslims Protect Copts Celebrating Christmas

January 9, 2011
Muslims offered themselves as "human shields" on Friday, January 7, to protect Coptic Christians celebrating their Christmas in Egypt just a week after a church bombing that killed 21 people.

Pope Benedict to Mark 25th Anniversary of the World Day of Peace in Assisi

January 3, 2011
Pope Benedict will travel to Assisi in October to commemorate the interreligious gathering convoked by Pope John Paul II twenty-five years ago.

PCID Sends Greetings to Hindus for the Feast of Deepavali

October 28, 2010
This year’s message emphasizes respect, trust, and cooperation.

Iranian Ayatollah on Conversion from Islam to Christianity

October 26, 2010
Ayatollah Seyed Mostafa Mohaghegh Ahmadabadi, an Iranian Islamic scholar responds,to questions about Muslim law regarding conversion.

Rabbi David Rosen Addresses Synod of Bishops on Jews, Muslims, and Christians in the Middle East

October 21, 2010
Speaking of the role of Christians in Israel, Rabbi Rosen said, "Christians play a disproportionate role in promoting inter-religious understanding and co-operation in the country. Indeed I would presume to suggest that this is precisely the Christian metier, to contribute to overcoming the prejudice and misunderstanding that bedevil the Holy Land".

R.I.P. William Johnston SJ

October 12, 2010
William Johnston SJ, the Irish Jesuit internationally renowned for his work on mysticism and interreligious dialogue, died peacefully on Tuesday, October 12, in Tokyo, Japan.

On Visit to Great Britain Pope Benedict XVI Encourages on Interreligious Dialogue

September 17, 2010
At a speech in London, Pope Benedict speaks of "a need not only for theological exchange, but also sharing our spiritual riches, speaking of our experience of prayer and contemplation, and expressing to one another the joy of our encounter with divine love."

Raimon Panikkar (1918-2010)

September 7, 2010
Leading interreligious theologian died on August 26.

The PCID's Annual Greetings to Muslims

August 27, 2010
This year the PCID addressed the topic of overcoming interreligious violence in its annual greetings to Muslims at the end of Ramadan.

Christians give Qur’ans to Muslim Prisoners

August 13, 2010
Catholics and Protestants have donated 100 copies of the Qur’an to Indonesian Muslims in Australian jails, in what they call an act of religious solidarity.

Muslim Scholars Denouce Terrorism

August 1, 2010
Nine American Muslim scholars denounce the misuse of the Qur'an in YouTube video.

Aligning for Interfaith Dialogue

July 25, 2010
The member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement affirm the need for and importance of interreligious dialogue.

Francis Clooney Named New Director of the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School

July 12, 2010
Jesuit professor and scholar of comparative theology succeeds Donald K. Swearer.

Peter Phan Receives John Courtney Murrraw Award

June 14, 2010
The Catholic Theological Society of America bestows its highest award on an Advisor to Monastic Interreligious Dialogue.

Pope in Cyprus Calls for Interreligious Dialogue

June 5, 2010
One his visit to Cyprus Pope Benedict XVI encouraged the Catholics there to engage in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.

Meeting God in Friend and Stranger

May 17, 2010
An introduction to and guidelines for interreligious dialogue from the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.

MID Appoints New Executive Director

April 13, 2010
Sister Hélène Mercier to assume her new position in June 2010.

Abhishiktananda on Facebook

March 30, 2010
The Australian Commission for Monastic Interreligious Dialogue has launched a Facebook page for "fans" of Abhishiktananda.

Dalai Lama condemns China policy

March 10, 2010
Tibet's spiritual leader has said China is trying to "annihilate Buddhism", as the region marks the anniversary of a failed revolt against China in 1959.

Catholics and Muslims Against Manipulation of Religions

March 2, 2010
An historical Catholic/Muslim agreement to reject the manipulation of religion to justify political interests, violence or discrimination.

Support for more interreligious exchange at Forham University

November 18, 2009
Father Patrick J. Ryan, the second McGinley Professor at Fordham University (succeeding Cardinal Avery Dulles) pledges to devote his tenure to discovering common ground among Judaism, Chritianity, and Islam.

Father Laurence Freeman OSB Receives Order of Canada.

October 9, 2009
Director of the World Community for Christian Meditation honored as proponent of peace, interreligious dialogue and understanding.

ISNA Condemns Anti Christian Riots in Pakistan

August 3, 2009
The president of the Islamic Society of North America issued a statement condemning anti Christian riots in Pakistan saying "The way to uphold the respect for the Quran is to show the Quranic respect for religious diversity and solidarity with the poor and the weak."

New Translation of Rumi's Quatrains

June 28, 2009
The first complete translation of the nearly 2,000 quatrains attributed to Jalaluddin Rumi, the famous 13th-century mystical poet has just appeared.

RIP: Ewert Cousins

June 2, 2009
Professor Ewert Cousins, a Advisor to Monastic Intereligious Dialogue and renowned scholar, died on May 30.

Fr. Mark Serna, at Shasta Abbey

March 6, 2009
MID's President speaks to a Buddhist monastic community in California on the Rule of St. Benedict and monastic spirituality.

Mar Musa

February 26, 2009
A Catholic monastery in the Syrian desert that fosters dialogue with Muslims.

Final Declaration of the Joint Committee for Dialogue

February 25, 2009
The Joint Committee for Dialogue (the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and Academy for Islamic Research of al-Azhar, Cairo, Egypt), held its annual meeting in Rome on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 February 2009.

Religions Carry a Message of Peace and Reconciliation

November 13, 2008
The Vatican Information Service reports on the speech of the President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue to the United Nations General Assembly.

Midwest Muslim-Catholic Dialogue Explores Religious Freedom

November 4, 2008
Board member elect, Sr. Barbara Austin OSB, represented MID at the annual meeting of the Midwest Muslim-Catholic Dialogue.

Catholic and Muslim Women in Dialogue

October 20, 2008
The Benedictine sisters of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, and Quad-City Muslim women come together to discuss "Mohammed and Jesus: Their Message."

Canadian Bishops Respond to Open Letter from Muslims

August 28, 2008
The Episcopal Commission for Interfaith Dialogue of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the following statement to "A Common Word between Us."

Top Vatican official says communication, dialogue can lead to peace

July 21, 2008
Cardinal Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, delivered Pope Benedict's message to the World Conference on Dialogue held in Madrid July 16-18, 2008.

A Jewish Assessment of the World Conference on Dialogue Meeting in Madrid

July 19, 2008
Rabbi Arthur Waskow and Rabbi Phyllis Berman of the Shalom Center report on the World Conference on Dialogue meeting in Madrid, July 16-18, 2008

The Meccan Appeal for Interfaith Dialogue

June 6, 2008
The International Islamic Conference for Dialogue, organized by
The Muslim World League in Mecca June 2-6, 2008, affirms that Islam advocates dialogue and outlines the objectives, methodology, rules, means, partners, and topics of dialogue.

Vatican working on interreligious dialogue guidelines

June 4, 2008
Catholic News Services reports that the PCID is preparing to offer pastors and the faithful some general orientations to guide interreligious dialogue.

Vatican message to Buddhists highlights shared environmental concerns

April 29, 2008
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue suggests that care for the environment is a point of common concern for Christians and Buddhists.

Monks in Tibet

April 6, 2008
A report from the Washington Post describing the patriotic education process that is required by the Chinese government.

Catholic-Muslim Forum to be Held in Rome in November

March 5, 2008
"in order to further develop Catholic-Muslim dialogue, the participants agreed to establish the 'Catholic-Muslim Forum' and to organise the first seminar of the forum in Rome from 4 to 6 November 2008."

Benedictines Host Muslim-Catholic Women's Dialogue

November 10, 2007
In article written by Jennifer Willems, The Catholic Post of the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, reports on two gatherings of Muslim and Catholic women at St. Mary Monastery in Rock Island, Illinois.

Osage+Monastery to Close

November 5, 2007
The Congregation of Perpetual Adoration announced with regret that Osage+Monastery in Sand Spring, Oklahoma, would be closed in spring 2008.

Monks and Muslims in Dialogue

November 3, 2007
International Muslim scholars come to Gethsemani Abbey for a dialogue with Abbot Damien and members of the monastic community.

Midwest Regional Muslim-Catholic Dialogue Finalizes a Mission Statement

October 21, 2007
A report on the annual meeting of the Midwest Catholic/Muslim Dialogue co-sponsored by the United States Council of Catholic Bishops and the Islamic Society of North America.

New General Secretary for DIM/MID

September 19, 2007
Fr. William Skudlarek, OSB, will succeed Fr. Pierre-Francois de Bethune as General Secretary of DIM/MID.

Interfaith Pilgrimage

July 11, 2007
Jotipalo Bhikkhu of Abhayagiri Monastery, Redwood Valley, California, and Father William Skudlarek, OSB, of Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota, undertook an interreligious walking pilgrimage that began at Brainerd MN on July 11, 2007, and continued north along the Paul Bunyan Trail, which ends a hundred miles later in Bemidji. The journal that follows recounts what they experienced along the way.

Venerable Thupten Ngodup Visits Gethsemani

July 10, 2007
The Medium of Tibet’s Chief State Oracle, Venerable Thupten Ngodup (“Nechung Kuten”)comes to Gethsemani and visits Thomas Merton's grave.

Cardinal Tauran to Head Interreligious Council

June 26, 2007
Pope Benedict XVI appointed a French cardinal, Jean-Louis Tauran, to lead the Vatican’s newly restored Council for Interreligious Dialogue, which oversees dialogue with Muslims and other faiths. Cardinal Tauran, 64, was the Vatican’s foreign minister under Pope John Paul II.
New York Times, June 26, 2007

Interreligious Walking Pilgrimage

June 24, 2007
A Buddhist and a Benedictine monks plan walking pilgrimage in Minnesota.

Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald Honored

May 13, 2007
Saint John' Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota, bestowed its highest award on Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald during the University's commencement exercises.

Zen/Ch’an – Catholic Dialogue Opens New Quadrennium

February 2, 2007
An on-going West Coast Buddhist/ Catholic dialogue addresses the topic "Abiding in Christ; Taking Refuge in the Buddha."

Conference on Said Nursi

November 19, 2006
MID Advisor Leo D. Lefebure spoke at an international interreligious conference in Istanbul

Midwest Regional Dialogue of Catholics and Muslims

September 13, 2006
The topic of this year's meeting was “Living as Muslims and Catholics in the USA Today”

A Dialogue between Muslim and Christian Women

August 31, 2006
MID Director Sr. Catherine Cleary, OSB, of Saint Mary Monastery, Rock Island, Illinois, reports on her community's invitation to Muslim and Christian women to share their understanding of prayer and spirituality.

Real security cannot be achieved by war and violence

August 16, 2006
The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions released the following statement on the current conflict in the Middle East.

Movie on Rumi

June 1, 2006
A film based on the life of Rumi to open at select theaters this summer.

PCID Reorganized

March 11, 2006
The Vatican announced today that the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue would be joined to the Pontifical Council for Culture.

Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald Apostolic Nuncio to Egypt

February 15, 2006
The Vatican announced today that Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, has been appointed apostolic nuncio to Egypt.

Vatican Responds to Provocative Depictions of Mohammad

February 5, 2006
Monastic Interreligious Dialogue rejects all forms of communication that employ words or images offensive to the religious sensibilities of others. We believe that to defend such statements by appealing to "freedom of speech" is to misinterpret and misuse this fundamental human right. We use this forum to publicize a recent statement from the Vatican with which we are in full accord.

Lama Tsongkhapa Day and Tsog Offering

December 26, 2005
Anniversary of the founder of the Gelug pa order of Tibetan Buddhism

Catholics and Muslims “Envision an American Future”

December 14, 2005
A press release from the USCCB Department for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs reporting on the December 2005 Midwest Regional Dialgoue of Catholics and Muslims.

Tibetan Nuns 2006 Wall Calendar

October 4, 2005
Just announced...

The International Tibet Independence Movement

March 18, 2005
Regular events hosted by the International Tibet Independence Movement.

American Abbots Attend Workshop on Interreligious Dialogue

February 11, 2005
About fifty Benedictine Abbots and monastic superiors participated in a workshop on interreligious dialogue held at Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, California.

The Pluralism Project

February 2, 2005
News about the Pluralism Project.

Centre for the Study of World Religions, Bangalore, Publishes Newsletter

December 10, 2004
The centre published the first issue of Intracultus: Interreligious New Bulletin, in order better to publicize the many activities taking place under its auspices.

The Visit of the Abbot of Menri to the Monastery of Christ in the Desert

November 4, 2004
Abbot Philip Lawrence, of the Benedictine community of Christ in the Desert near Abiquiu, New Mexico, here describes the visit of four Bon monks to his monastery in November of last year.

Paul Carus Award

October 4, 2004
Bishop McLeod Baker Ochola II and the Acholi Religious Leaders’ Peace Initiative were selected.

Religious Diversity Presentation Available

September 10, 2004
The transcript of student researcher Scott Hyslop’s presentation on religious diversity in Montana is now available online.

World Religions in Boston Profiles Updated

July 9, 2004
Tracy Wells has expanded the profiles of interfaith groups in the greater Boston area.

The Pluralism Project, Harvard University

July 6, 2004
Ever since the early 1990s the Pluralism Project at Harvard has been doing groundbreaking research on religious diversity in the United States. The project’s website contains a wealth of information about the various religions that are now represented in this country.

Midwest Regional Dialogue of Catholics and Muslims

November 30, 1999
The topic of this year's annual meeting was “Living as Muslims and Catholics in the USA Today”

Benedictines Host Muslim-Catholic Women's Dialogue

November 30, 1999
A monastery in Rock Island, Illinois, brings together Catholic and Muslim women to talk about peace and the role of women in their two traditions.

Benedictines Host Muslim-Catholic Women's Dialogue

November 30, 1999
A Benedictine women's monastery in Rock Island, Illinois, brings together Muslims and Catholics to discuss peace and the role of women in their two traditions.

Monks and Muslims in Dialogue

November 30, 1999
International Muslim scholars at Gethsemani Abbey for dialogue with Abbot Damien and members of the monastic community.

FINAL COMMUNIQUE ON THE 11TH CATHOLIC-MUSLIM COLLOQUIUM

November 30, 1999
Today was made public the final communique on the 11th Colloquium organized by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the World Islamic Call Society (WICS), which took place in Rome from 15 to 17 December.

Mar Musa

November 30, 1999
A Catholic moanstery in the Syrian desert that fosters dialogue with Muslims.

RIP: Ewart Cousins

November 30, 1999
An Advisor to MID and prominent scholar in the field of interreligious dialouge died on May 30.

RIP: Ewart Cousins

November 30, 1999
An Advisor to MID and expert in the field of interreligious dialogue died on May 30.

Dalai Lama condemns China policy

November 30, 1999
Tibet's spiritual leader has said China is trying to "annihilate Buddhism", as the region marks the anniversary of a failed revolt against China in 1959.

Proceedings of "Gethsemani III" Published

November 30, 1999
The proceedings of the MID-sponsored Buddhist/Catholic Encounter on monasticism and the environment are now available from Lantern Press.

R.I.P. William Johnston SJ

November 30, 1999
William Johnston SJ, the Irish Jesuit internationally renowned for his work on mysticism and interreligious dialogue, died peacefully on Tuesday, October 12, in Tokyo, Japan.
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