April 24, 2025

Social friendship and universal fraternity necessarily call for an acknowledgement of the worth of every human person, always and everywhere. . . . This is a basic principle of social life that tends to be ignored in a variety of ways by those who sense that it does not fit into their worldview or serve their purposes. (Fratelli tutti, 106)

When I teach about the Catholic Church’s doctrine on relations with people outside of our faith, I usually start out with a recount of our dark history. Up until the seismic changes brought about by the Second Vatican Council that we find in Lumen Gentium, its dogmatic constitution on the Church, and then in the ground-breaking document Nostra ætate, its declaration on the relation of the Church to non-Christian religions, even ecumenical dialogue was forbidden. Along with that, the suppression of other religions, if not out and out persecution, was tolerated. The prevailing attitude was summed up in the phrase Error non habet ius, “Error has no rights.” (I heard this proclaimed by my more traditionalist friends even into the 1980s.)

The document that some call a refutation of that particular doctrine was called Dignitatis humanae, “On Human Dignity,” the Council's declaration on religious freedom. Its connection to Nostra ætate has perhaps been under-recognized. To sum up, Dignitatis humanae teaches that even though error may not have rights, human beings do, and that includes the right to religious liberty and the right to immunity from external coercion, physical as well as psychological. Though it may seem obvious to us now, this was as controversial at the time as Nostra ætate was. I found an article in the New York Times by John Cogley, dated December 8, 1965, with the headline “Freedom of Religion: Vatican Decree Supplants Ancient Doctrine that ‘Error Has No Rights.’” So, the secular world certainly understood the import and impact of this reversal.

I am thinking of all that in the light of the marvelous pastoral example given to us by Pope Francis, who—with all due respect to his predecessors—is considered by some to be the first purely Vatican II pope. He was the ultimate humanist in the sense that the living person in front of him, with his or her individual rights and dignity,  always came first, before any doctrine, before any objective “cold bureaucratic morality,” whether it be dealing with LGBTQ+ people, atheistic scientists, or people of different faiths. As he stresses over and over again in his encyclical letter, Fratelli Tutti, "On Fraternity and Social Friendship," it is our basic humanity with which we begin and upon which we build; human dignity abides “beyond all circumstances.” This was the face of the Church, the face of Christ, that Francis presented to the world, and believers and non-believers alike recognized it, celebrated it, basked in it. Is it any wonder that loving commemorations have poured in from all corners of the globe?

Without a doubt, with the death of Pope Francis we have lost a great friend of Interreligious Dialogue. I have an interreligious advisory board in my role as Secretary General of DIM·MID, and condolences poured in immediately from various non-Christian members. One member described Francis’ legacy in this way: To uplift the poor and the refugee, foster dialogue across faith traditions, pursue peace in times of conflict, and safeguard the environment for the well-being of all of creation.” What a way to be recognized and remembered! Another, a Buddhist monk, wrote that he considered Pope Francis to be the leader of the wider Sangha community, who became for him his shifu (師父)––his “monastic super-ego and inspiration to a higher ethical standard. I accepted him as my kalyana-mitra, wholesome spiritual friend.” Our Shi‘a Muslim friend Professor Mohammed Ali Shomali wrote that Pope Francis was “a luminous soul and a tireless advocate for universal fraternity, peace, and justice,” who “embodied a rare depth of compassion and an unwavering commitment to human dignity and fellowship. His gentle yet resolute voice resonated across faiths, cultures, and nations, reminding us of our shared responsibility to care for one another and to protect the most vulnerable.” (See the full letter here.) The Dalai Lama wrote to the Apostolic Nuncio to India saying that Pope Francis consistently revealed “by his own actions how to live a simple, but meaningful life. The best tribute we can pay to him is to be a warm-hearted person, serving others wherever and in whatever way we can.” (A memorial service is being held by the Tibetan community at Tsuglagkhang, the main Tibetan Temple in Dharamsala.)

Of course, I hope and pray that our next pope will maintain this stance in the world, starting with open-armed welcome, leading with the medicine of mercy, and open to dialogue–acknowledging that we have as much to learn and to share as we have to proclaim. But no matter what, let us commit ourselves to being that face of Christ and the Church, inspired by Francis’ example and buoyed by his prayers. May this be our worldview. May this be our purpose.

Ever your brother on the road to Emmaus,

Cyprian

April 17, 2025
Holy Thursday

Watching everything happening in my own country from the other shore (Rome) has been an interesting experience. It has been heavily influenced by the men I live with (Italians, Indians, and Poles) as well as by my interaction with many others around the world and the morning telegiornale on RAI, the national public broadcasting company of Italy. Arriving back home in California last week to be with my community in Big Sur for Holy Week and Easter shifted the perspective again. The latest outrage of the incompetent and cruel current administration is the arrest and deportation an innocent man to an infamous foreign prison and then, in direct defiance of the Supreme Court,  refusing to work to bring him back.

 One of the reasons I was enthused about taking on this new position for DIM·MID was to be a part of the global conversation on an even greater scale than had previously been possible. What has struck me about my marvelous interactions with people around the globe the last six months has not been so much the variety of perspectives that I found but their striking similarity. That had led me to believe even more deeply that, within my own tradition, the Gospel cuts right through any cultural conditioning and ideology, speaking equally to and challenging conservatives and progressives. I have become more aware of a universal wisdom that the spiritual traditions share, an innate sense of unity and compassion that grows from the wisdom gained from the inner journey of discovering the sacred web, which, if I understand our Buddhist friends correctly, refers to the inextricable bond between wisdom and compassion.

All that has not made me less an American. In fact, I feel more like an American––and a Catholic monk and priest!––than ever. Standing on the foundation of my own tradition has just made me secure enough to be able to reach out to “the other.”  I understand the wisdom of Archimedes: “Give me a place to stand and a lever long enough and I can move the world.”

I differ slightly from most liturgists and probably from the normal teaching of the Church when I propose that Holy Thursday is the most important and iconic liturgy of the the whole Church year. It is the entry way into the stark remembrance of Good Friday, the holy silence of Holy Saturday, and the blinding light of Easter Sunday. Jesus wrapping a towel around his waist and bending low to wash his disciples’ feet, even the feet of the ones that he knew were going to betray him––Judas with coins and a kiss and Peter with cowardice—is somehow the summary of Jesus’ life and ministry. This is also the narrow door that leads to the Eucharistic table. I am convinced of what few of the world’s leaders would so much as give lip service to even if they did acknowledge its truth: The greatest among you will be the one who serves. And the greatest love is to lay down your life. We are to pour out our lives for each other, even to our so-called enemies, for how can someone be an enemy if you, as Jesus commands, really love them?

I ask you to unite with me these holy days and re-learn and re-commit ourselves to this great spiritual lesson from Christ, to mourn the mindless cruelty and slaughter of innocents going on in our world even as we remember Jesus’ death tomorrow, to lie in the tomb on Saturday and ask the All-merciful All-compassionate One to cleanse of all that is not godly, and then let the dazzling light of Easter fill us with the energy of resurrection, life never conquered by death.

And we could pray together:

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya |
Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya |
Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya |

Lead me from falsehood to truth!
Lead me from darkness to light!
Lead me from death into life!

Let peace fill our hearts, our world, and our universe by the grace of God and the work of our lives.  

March 2, 2025 

I’m beginning Lent by flying to New York this week, to a conference in honor of Thomas Keating, OCSO called “A Rising Tide of Oneness: Unity Consciousness for a World in Bits and Pieces.” It’s been organized by the Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault at the Garrison Institute and features a wonderful gathering of teachers from various traditions. It has made me return to my notes on Fr. Thomas’ thoughts on meditation and interreligious dialogue.

I once heard a talk Fr. Thomas gave in which he asked, “What would be the major elements of a spiritual life that is rooted in its own spiritual tradition and simultaneously in dialogue with the other world religions?” And as contemplative communities, what ought to be our relationship to “the world of ours as it moves into the new millennium with the enormous baggage of human problems that seem to be almost without end? What can the Christian contemplative tradition give to this world that is coming?”

Well, Fr. Thomas says, the great gift that contemplative prayer can offer is simply this: the experience of Divine Presence, because it is exactly this experience that is lacking in the post-modern world–– the experience of Divine Presence. And who else is going to be able to bring this realization of Divine Presence back into society but those who themselves have experienced the Divine Presence? So, the question then really becomes how? How are we going to share this “reign of God” that has been entrusted to us? In what mode are we going share this reign of God that points to the heart of the world its own contemplative dimension?

He then goes on to suggest that we might rightly ask whether in this new millennium if it still should be the purpose and aim of the religions of the world––or for that matter even of special spiritual disciplines such as yoga or Zen meditation––“to make disciples or converts as we have been instructed to do up ‘til now.” Rather, he suggests, in light of the historical development of global consciousness that is now emerging, is there perhaps “a new understanding of the Gospel that is now required, in which we see Christ himself emphasizing that all men and women are brothers and sisters.” Could it be that the first duty of the world’s religions in our time may not so much be to propagate themselves––though this can be done with prudence and charity––but to create communion between the world’s religions. This particular thought has stayed with me all these years, and I know it would be controversial to say in some Christian-Catholic contexts: other world religions, Fr. Thomas says, must first of all be considered “as our brothers and our sisters, greatly loved by God,” with something to contribute to us, and something to contribute to the world at large as well. 

Perhaps what is needed first and foremost in our day and age is collaboration between all those who have true human values at heart, and especially collaboration among those who have a long tradition of spiritual experience. Why? Because, we reject “nothing of what is true and holy in these other religions.” We have a “high regard for their manner of life and conduct”; we have a high regard for their precepts and the doctrines, which, even though they are different from our teaching in many ways, nevertheless “often reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all people.” As a matter of fact, we Catholics are urged by our church “to enter with prudence and charity into discussion and collaboration with members of these other religions.” While witnessing to our own faith and way of life, we are urged to “acknowledge, preserve and encourage the spiritual and moral truths found among non-Christians,” in their social life and culture as well as in their spiritual traditions. (Of course, I am quoting Nostra Aetate here.) This is the great treasure of humanity that now needs to be shared.  As Fr. Thomas says, “Perhaps for the first time in history we [could] manifest that all of the human family are the children of God, and that each religion has its part to play in revealing the true God, and that above all it is God’s will that we live together in peace.”

I had an online meeting with a former Theravadan monk who would like to collaborate on some retreats, and I was reminded again of how easy it is to speak with others who are rooted in a contemplative tradition. It’s not simply that monasticism is a bridge spanning other traditions; it’s the contemplative tradition that is the bridge and monastics are part of that bridge if and when we are deeply rooted in our own practice. This too is the gift of DIMMID, to deepen our own practice and to meet others in theirs, sharing wisdom, sharing experience, building a new consciousness.

May it be so! Blessings on the beginning of this holy season. May the renewal of our baptismal promises at Easter truly be an enlightenment experience for us all.

February 12, 2025 

I am on my way this Saturday to participate in the 50^th anniversary meeting of the Indo-Sri Lankan Benedictine Federation at Asirvanam near Bengaluru, India. The final day is dedicated to interreligious dialogue; I was asked to speak on our role and response as monks to this dialogue today. After I have delivered my presentation, I will publish the whole thing through Dilatato Corde, but I just wanted to give a sneak preview to whet your appetite and get everyone thinking. 

I was already pondering this topic when I met with Professor Gianni La Bella in January. He is the head of the Sant’Egidio Community in Rome, though they and he work worldwide, doing a lot of diplomatic work for the Church. They are also the ones, and again Mr. La Bella in particular, who helped the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue to organize the famous interreligious event in Assisi in 1986 and have been the ones to keep the flame of that event alive all these years. In our conversation, Mr. La Bella said that he thought monasticism had something very important to offer the world right now. And of course, I agreed but I asked how he would specifically describe what we monks have to offer. And he gave me a very clear answer: one problem and four responses to it. 

He thought that all religions and the world itself are suffering from the same illness, namely, materialism. He also clarified that he meant materialism in the broadest sense of the word––not just consumerism but also a lack of a sense of, as he put it, “transcendence.” What monasticism has to offer in the face of that materialism and lack of a sense of transcendence is four things:  

1.      Austerity, a non-consumerist lifestyle
2.      A witness to the unity of the human race.
3.      A lifestyle that combines ora, labora, studia.
4.      Interior peace that leads to exterior peace: monasticism could diffondere i semi della pace––“spread the seeds of peace,” he said.  

What is so pressing on my mind right now in the work that I and we have been asked to do is that fourth one: how can we as monks and nuns spread the seeds of peace, particularly through interreligious dialogue? 

More on all this later, but for now let’s pray for peace with justice, especially in the Holy Land.

January 15, 2025 

A friend sent me this article by Camilla Cavendish recently telling me that our work in inter-religious dialogue and encounter is becoming even more important given global trends––in case we had to be convinced of that! While Europe at first glance seems more and more secular, and secularists assume that atheism is the logical endpoint of prosperity, there’s an amazing growth of Christianity in sub-Saharan Africa. Islam continues to expand all over the world. There is a growth in many forms of spirituality as well. And so I certainly agree with her and have also found in my travels that “there is a space opening up in which people can start to talk about faith without being mocked. And for individuals to be able to acknowledge that strange sense of the sublime that human beings have felt since time immemorial. ...  So it’s a good time to realize that far from living through a new age of reason, the coming decades are likely to see a growth in belief systems of all kinds.” 

January 9, 2025

I have been rummaging through my files to try to find this quote, now being in Rome and not having access to all normal resources. And I just stumbled on it, filed somewhere I had forgotten, a file I call “essential quotes.” I think this sets the tone pretty well for my own work and study. This is from Bruno Barnhart’s wonderful collation of Bede Griffiths’s Principal Writings, now unfortunately out of print with the demise of Templegate Publishers, but still very much alive on my bookshelf. Aside from his assiduous work at references and organizing Bede’s writings by theme, Bruno’s commentaries are as good as Bede’s own writings.

Not only is the Mystery present in a different way in each tradition, but we are to learn from all of them, from the primal, tribal religions as well as the highly developed traditions of Hinduism and Christianity.  The way to the realization of the Self, however is simple: it is the way of surrender: a surrender which proceeds through ever more interior stages.  The personal way must also correspond to the traditional wisdom, according to one of the great traditions, of faith.  The great religions begin with a mystical experience and then develop into complex systems of thought.  It is necessary, if we would know the Mystery, that we penetrate through the exterior shell of the rationalized system to realize within ourself the original experience: that is, to participate in the divine life which has been shared among human beings.  This is the kingdom of God and the essential message of all religion.  External religion, with its rites, dogmas and institutional structures, exists only to bring people to the personal experience of this mystery.  External forms, the ‘language’ of religion, must be continually revised to enable them to communicate the mystery to the people of a new age.  The mystery, however, already dwells in the heart of every human being, and the church must awaken to this ‘universal revelation’(Bruno Barnhart, The One Light, 397).

I often say about that word “only” that it’s an “only” you could say over and over again: External religion, with its rites, dogmas, and institutional structures, only only only only only exists to bring us to a personal experience of this mystery.