Pope in Thailand: Catholics and
Buddhists can live as “good neighbours”
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| Pope Francis meets the Buddhist Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, Ariyavongsagatanana IX (Vatican Media) |
On his first full day in Thailand, Pope Francis meets the
Buddhist Supreme Patriarch and confirms the Church’s commitment to open and
respectful dialogue in the service of peace.
By Vatican News
The meeting took place on Thursday morning at the Wat
Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram Temple in Bangkok.
A lasting friendship
In his address to the Pope, the Buddhist Supreme Patriarch
Ariyavongsagatanana IX recalled the historic visit of Pope Saint John Paul II
to his predecessor 35 years ago, a meeting at which he had been present. The
Patriarch went on to list visits made by the Kings of Thailand to the Popes in
the Vatican: to Leo XIII in 1897, Pius XI in 1934, and John XIII in 1960. He
spoke of a “deep and lasting friendship”, a “coming together within a true
spirit of mutual understanding and equal partnership.”
A journey of esteem
In his address to the Buddhist Supreme Patriarch, the Pope
confirmed their meeting was taking place “as part of the journey of esteem and
mutual recognition initiated by our predecessors.” Recalling the visit of the
seventeenth Supreme Patriarch to Pope Paul VI in the Vatican nearly 50 years
ago, Pope Francis said he wanted to “follow in their footsteps in order to
increase respect but also friendship between our communities.”
A culture of encounter
Pope Francis said these steps “help testify that the culture
of encounter is possible, not only within our communities but also in our
world, so prone to creating and spreading conflict and exclusion.”
Occasions like this “remind us how important it is for religions to
become more and more beacons of hope, as promoters and guarantors of
fraternity”, he added.
Catholics in Thailand
Pope Francis expressed his gratitude for the fact that,
“since the arrival of Christianity in Thailand some four and a half centuries
ago, Catholics have enjoyed freedom in religious practice, despite their being
in a minority, and for many years have lived in harmony with their Buddhist
brothers and sisters.”
Good neighbours
The Pope reiterated his personal commitment, and that of the
whole Church, “to furthering an open and respectful dialogue in the service of
the peace and well-being” of the people of Thailand. He said that through
scholarly exchanges, “which lead to greater mutual understanding, as well as
the exercise of contemplation, mercy and discernment… we can grow and live
together as good neighbours.”
Working together
Pope Francis encouraged “the development of new charitable
projects”, by members of both religions. These projects should be capable of
“generating and multiplying practical initiatives on the path of fraternity,
especially with regard to the poor and our much-abused common home”, he said.
“In this way, we will contribute to the formation of a culture of compassion,
fraternity and encounter”, he concluded, and “this journey will continue to
bear fruit in abundance”.
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