On July 29th it was the 4th anniversary of the kidnapping of  a missionary Father Fausto Dall’Oglio,  in Syria. He is a Jesuit who, in the 1980s,  re-established in Syria the Catholic-Syriac Monastic community of Mar Musa (Monastery of Saint Moses Abyssinia), the heir to a cenobitic and hermitic tradition dating back to the 6th century. The monastery, located in the desert north of Damascus, also welcomes members of Orthodox religion. Father Fausto Dall'Oglio is strongly engaged in interreligious dialogue with the Islamic world.  He decided to be committed to such an effort convinced that the only way towards peace is dialogue and mutual respect.  

The theme of the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council of Interreligious Dialogue, held last June in Rome, was “the role of women in educating towards Universal fraternity.” Cardinal Tauran has highlighted that the formation of the heart it is very important and for this reason, women are very able to transform our world to one where diversity is wealth and solidarity becomes charity. So, women are fundamental for interfaith education. As we know, WUCWO has always considered the work of ecumenical and interfaith dialogue one of its goals. The address of the Holy Father to the assembly reflects “on three aspects: to appreciate woman’s role, to educate to achieve fraternity and dialogue…men and women are called to work together toward  education in universal fraternity that is, in the last analysis, education to peace in the complementarity of their diverse sensibilities and roles. Thus women, connected intimately to the mystery of life, can do much to promote the spirit of fraternity, with their care for the preservation of life and with their conviction that love is the only force that can make the world habitable for all.”  It is a further encouragement to WUCWO’s task, our task to build bridges of dialogue, that we adopted as one of our resolutions in Fatima.

Image: Deir Mar Musa (Monastery of Saint Moses Abyssinia) founded by father Fausto Dall’Oglio

Further readings:

Nostra Aetate (Declaration of the II VATICAN COUNCIL)

Address to Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue

Radio Vaticana News

Asia News