May 2023: Interreligious Meeting at the Vatican with Pope Francis
Universal Kinship
The mere thought of meeting the Pope fills the heart with anticipation and reverence. In the days leading up to the encounter, it is impossible not to feel a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
I arrive in Rome on 1 May and am met at the airport by a Vatican driver. Ricky Martin is playing on the radio. I am taken to the Domus Romana Sacerdotalis, a charming guesthouse for visitors to the Vatican from all over the world. One does not often have breakfast with a bishop, let alone the president of a bishops’ conference. Here, it is an everyday occurrence.
In a world marked by religious diversity, fostering interreligious dialogue and understanding is of vital importance if we are to build bridges and promote harmonious coexistence. Why am I in Rome? On 2 May, the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue is organising a conference on a New Humanism under the motto “Fratelli Tutti” – “We are all brothers and sisters”.
That evening, there is an aperitif. It is opened by Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, Prefect of the Dicastery. Theologians and scholars, professors and scholars of religion from around the world – from Oxford, Munich, Heidelberg and Fribourg – introduce themselves. The sense of anticipation is palpable. By creating spaces for dialogue, the gathering seeks to foster compassion and mutual understanding.
Dinner is somewhat meagre. The chef takes the word “vegetarian” rather literally. We are served, quite literally, nothing but vegetables for dinner. Fortunately, there is still room afterwards for some Vatican gelato. Breakfast the following morning is somewhat more substantial.
The next morning, 55 participants gather in the conference room of the Dicastery, with simultaneous interpretation provided in several languages. However, only 15 people are permitted to speak. The Cardinal opens with a fascinating address in which he describes Pope Francis’ vision of “Fratelli Tutti”. He speaks of how the Pope quoted the Upanishads in one of his speeches. He speaks of Dharma – the Sanskrit umbrella term for the spiritual path. He speaks of how Eastern spirituality can enrich the Christian understanding of spirituality.
A scholar of religion strikes a somewhat more sober note, emphasising that interreligious encounters offer practitioners the opportunity to develop meaningful and respectful relationships. Yet for this to happen, people from various traditions must be willing to engage in open and honest conversation.
I speak about non-duality. The word “Catholic”, after all, originally means universal, all-encompassing. Why, then, should there be “insiders” and “outsiders” for Catholics? I emphasise that the non-dual understanding can strengthen the Catholic Church in its original Catholicity – its universality. I speak of the Dakini, the Motherly aspect of the Divine, as the innate love and bliss dwelling naturally within all living beings.
The encounter with the Pope the following morning is brief, yet its impact is profound. His eyes, reflecting a depth of wisdom and compassion, seem to reach deep into the soul. The Pope’s warm smile and gentle touch convey a sense of unity and love. I ask him to bless my mālā – my prayer beads.
In the Vatican Gardens, I discover an ancient spring dating back to Roman-Greek times, and a pine cone flanked by peacocks. In her manifestation as Juno, the Divine Mother continues to bless the Vatican from within.
About the Author: Lama Sherab Gyatso is a student of AR and teaches Dzogchen at the Vidyadhara Centre and within AR’s Dzogchen Nyingthig Community. A scholar and practitioner of Dzogchen, Sanskrit, and the non-dual traditions, he has more than thirty years of experience in the study and practice of these traditions and more than twenty years of engagement in interreligious exchange, both at a scholarly level and through personal encounter.
