Date: Dec. 5th 2013 Session: Faith Leadership for the Greater Good: Forging “Unity in Diversity” Based on Shared Values Speaker: Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam; Third Archbishop, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia

1. The Assisi gathering 27 years ago “should not and could not be an isolated
event,” Pope Francis told the leaders – Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican,
Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and others – who
gathered at the Vatican on Sunday for a three day annual inter-religious
peace meeting sponsored by the Rome-based Community of Sant’Egidio.
“We can never be resigned in the face of the pain of entire peoples who
are hostages of war, poverty and exploitation,”
“We cannot stand by, indifferent and impotent, before the drama of
children, families and the elderly struck by violence. We cannot allow
terrorism to imprison the hearts of a few violent people,” bringing pain
and death to many.
“everyone has a responsibility to contribute to peace through their
prayers and their actions.”
“Each one of us is called to be a peacemaker, uniting and not dividing,
extinguishing hatred and not maintaining it, opening paths to dialogue
and not building new walls.”
“ Peace requires a process of dialogue that is “tenacious, patient, strong
and intelligent.”
Dialogue for peace is an obligation, Pope tells religious leaders

2. All nations are one community and have one origin
because God caused the whole human race to dwell
on the whole face of the earth. They also have one
final end, God whose providence, manifestation of
goodness, and plans for salvation are extended to all
1965 Vatican Council II Declaration Nostra Aetate

3. “The Catholic Church rejects nothing of those things which
Are true and holy in these religions. It regards with respect
those ways of acting and living, and those precepts and
teachings which though often at variance with what it holds
and expounds, frequently reflect a ray of that truth which
enlightens everyone”
“It calls upon all its sons and daughters, with prudence and
charity through dialogues and cooperation with followers of
other religions, bearing witness to the Christian faith and
way of life, to recognise, preserve and promote those
spiritual and moral good things as well as the socio-cultural
values which are to be found among them.”

4. “We cannot call upon God, the Father of all if we refuse to
behave like brothers and sisters towards people created in the
image of God.”
The Church condemns as foreign to the mind of Christ any kind
of discrimination whatsoever between people, or harassment of
them , done by reason of race or colour, class or religion.”

5. Lasting PEACE does not arise form a “negotiated
settlement but rather from the conviction that unity is
brought about by the Spirit of God which can harmonise
every diversity”.
“When we live out our spirituality of drawing nearer to
others and seek their welfare, our hearts are opened wider
to God. This indeed is an obligation that is absolute”
Evangelii Gaudium: Pope Francis

6. Lasting PEACE does not arise form a “negotiated
settlement but rather from the conviction that unity is
brought about by the Spirit of God which can harmonise
every diversity”.
“When we live out our spirituality of drawing nearer to
others and seek their welfare, our hearts are opened wider
to God. This indeed is an obligation that is absolute”
Evangelii Gaudium: Pope Francis