By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 15: As this year sees Ramadan for Muslims coinciding with the season of Lent for Christians, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuching, Dato Simon Poh, has called for mutual respect and acceptance among the different faiths.
In his message for Ramadan, Poh relayed extracts from the Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue in its annual message to Muslims:
- “For this year, the proximity in the spiritual calendar offers Muslims and Christians a unique opportunity to walk side-by-side, in a common process of purification, prayer and charity.”
- “This year, as our two spiritual traditions converge in celebrating Ramadan and Lent, we have a unique opportunity to show the world that faith transforms people and societies, and for unity and reconciliation.”
- “May your fasting and other practices during Ramadan and the celebration of Id al-Fitr that concludes it, bring you abundant fruits or peace, hope, fraternity and joy.”
In addition to Ramadan and Lent, Poh added that this month will also see the Sikh New Year, Naw-Ruz, and Taoist Day, and encouraged everyone to speak of mutual respect and acceptance instead of the word ‘tolerance’ as the word implies a limit or boundary.
“For me, it is not good enough to simply tolerate each other’s differences in belief or cultures. Positively, we need to acknowledge and accept the differences, respect each other, and consciously strive to live as good neighbours in friendship with one another,” he said.
Poh also invited everyone to pray for political and religious leaders so that they may work together for the common good of everyone in Malaysia, including for future generations of Malaysians.
“Selamat berpuasa and Ramadan Kareem to our Muslim brothers and sisters. March is indeed a month filled with religious events.
“For us as Malaysians, living together with many neighbouring religions, let us consider this month of Ramadan for Muslims and Lent for Christians as a time of building bridges of harmony, goodwill and friendship.
“May our fasting and almsgiving bless all who are in need.” — DayakDaily
