Past Oasis News

In the spirit of Ramadhan we wish to share in this Oasis News the experience of prayer that has been always part of the spirit of Silsilah. In 1984, the Silsilah Dialogue Movement started its experience of dialogue, inviting Muslim and Christian friends for time of spontaneous prayer helping them to reflect together on some […]

We decided to send a letter of a Christian to a Muslim friend written during the formation program of Silsilah Dialogue Movement held last June 25-28, 2012. This program is part of the effort of Silsilah that started this year 2012 that conducts formation for Muslim and Christian leaders and professionals in Zamboanga City and

One of the major international event – the “Olympic Games” started in Olympia, Greece. The Olympics  is considered to be foremost sports competition in the world and more than 200 nations participates and this event has acquired a worldwide interest that unites people from different parts of the world.  One of the major international event

It was in the evening around 9 o’clock on that faithful day, 20th of May, twenty years ago. I was waiting at the gate of the PIME House in Suterville, not very far from this spot where it all happened…I was waiting for the return of Fr. Salvatore Carzedda, PIME. He had spent the whole

February 8, 1987 to February 8, 2012 – a span of 25 years since the establishment of the Emmaus Dialogue Community (EDC).The 25th Anniversary of its founding was an occasion for the EDC to express gratitude to the Archdiocese of Zamboanga for welcoming them as an official lay association in the Church. The archbishops of

On June 11, 2011 a symbolic obelisk in R. T. Lim Boulevard was unveiled by Congressional Representative of the 1st District Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, witnessed by Mayor Celso L. Lobregat , members of the IFCL and other groups of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement, friends from the Inter-Religious Solidarity Movement for Peace (IRSMP) and the officers

The 2011 Silsilah Special Course was on the theme “The Mindanao Conflict: Multiple Perspectives of the Problem and the Need for a Common Articulation of the Solution” held on May 23-28, 2011 This theme was chosen for a number of reasons, three of which are 1) the continuing conflict deepens the divide between Mindanao groups

Things begin, and things end. On April 24, 2011 the 25th offering of the Silsilah Basic Course on Muslim-Christian Dialogue began with 30 participants. Most of the participants were from the Philippines but there were 2 participants from Vietnam and 2 from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These Vietnamese and Congolese participants are all

Some 98 youth leaders attended the 12th Silsilah Solidarity Youth Camp (SSYC) on May 10-14, 2011 at the Harmony Village Campsite, in Pitogo, Sinunuc, Zamboanga City. The participating youth leaders represented different youth groups, communities, schools and organizations in a 5- day camp organized by the SilPeace, a program for the youth of Silsilah Dialogue

“Over  the many years I have spent with the peace movers of Silsilah I have witnessed the difference… where before we viewed each other with the eyes of suspicion and hatred, we now express our views in terms of what we can do together to erase centuries-old social irritants between groups”. These were the words

In 1987 the first Silsilah Summer Course was offered out of the Silsilah office in a building in downtown Zamboanga City. The course was designed to give knowledge about the basic teachings and history of Islam and Christianity; Muslims and Christians sat in the same class and thus together learned about each other’s religion. The

The Philippine summer is already upon us in spite of the fact that April has been a very “wet” month here in Zamboanga City, rather than the dry and hot month it normally is. The year 2011 marks the 25th offering of the Silsilah Summer Course which over the years has seen a modification. The

“The times they are achanging.” Librarians know this as well as most people do. They are aware that the needs of users for libraries have changed and so libraries have to change too, and adapt to the needs of the communities that they serve. The changes in librarianship are more than changes in the types

The Inter-Faith Council of Leaders (IFCL) in Zamboanga city meets in the afternoon of every first Saturday of the month in the Silsilah Center on Gov. Alvarez Ave. For each meeting the group follows this agenda: The Inter-Faith Council of Leaders (IFCL) in Zamboanga city meets in the afternoon of every first Saturday of the

Wearing face masks, many of the children stood out among the other kids. They were in chemotherapy for the conditions they had – leukemia and similar conditions of the blood. Some looked like they were pre-school kids; another was a teenager. They and their mothers were all in the simple program organized by Silsilah at

The Australian Embassy in the Philippines has recently approved a proposal submitted months ago by the Silsilah Dialogue Movement to undertake a project that will address the matter of trauma healing for people in areas of conflict. Silsilah is keenly aware that in situations of conflict some people are more seriously affected than some others.

North Africa and the Middle East have been wracked by unrest and civil disorder since January this year. While the situations in Tunisia and Egypt have evolved into the stage where the respective countries are now working out new constitutions and the people in general have a stronger sense of what kind of governance they

Different parts of the world remain unstable because of conflict arising from cultural and religious differences, which in turn generate violence that pits one neighborhood against another or one family against another. Add to this the devastation in people’s lives caused by natural calamities and we get a picture of the reason for the deep

Close to a thousand Basileños, braving the scourging heat of the sun, marched a 3-kilometer road on February 24, 2011 to show that violence in the province has to finally put an end. “Walk for Peace” is one among the concrete plans that the IFCL in Basilan have undertake after series of meetings and consultation

Silsilah regularly follows the commentaries of Samir Khalil Samir, a Jesuit born in Cairo and presently a professor of Oriental Theology at St. Joseph’s University in Beirut, Lebanon. In an article which came out on February 24, 2011 in an on-line publication which Silsilah regularly receives, Fr. Samir comments on the recent events in North

The formation of Silsilah Forum in different areas allows Silsilah members, alumni and their friends to reflect and share their experience of dialogue. This is the space given to the members to ground them with lived realities of others to face issues and support each other in dialogical spirit. Hence the readiness to collaborate and

Tolerance is a great virtue but it can never be a one-way street. If we want others to respect the ideas we espouse, then that means that we must also respect their ideas. Respecting the ideas of others does not mean that we accept their ideas as correct; rather, that we allow them to believe

“When we start to dialogue it is a sign of hope”, these were the words that struck a chord in the hearts of members of the Inter-Faith Council of Leaders (IFCL) of Basilan when they met on February 3, 2011 in the conference hall of Basilan State College in Isabela City, Basilan. IFCL-Basilan is comprised

Farmers are among the most involved, hands-on caregivers of the earth. Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME, the founder of Silsilah, intuitively recognized the need for small farmers to be trained so they become conscious tillers of the earth, and with dignity and compassion give their contribution in caring for all of God’s creation. This is the

On Christmas morning, December 25, 2010, Fr. Rickjy Bacolcol, DCJ, was the presider at the mass in the Asturias Sacred Heart Chapel in Jolo, Sulu and Fr. Romeo Villanueva, OMI was the mass co-celebrant. Fr. Rickjy had just been ordained about a month prior to this date; Fr. Villanueva has been in the Apostolic Vicariate

Daily the media bring before our consciousness news about violent incidents taking place in different parts of the world and our spirits are troubled. Doubly so if these violent incidents have religious overtones. Silsilah is dedicated to the pursuit of dialogue as a style of life – and it sees dialogue as “a style of

In 2001 the Silsilah Dialogue Movement started the practice of sharing joy and happiness during the Christmas season with the children of less-privileged families living in the areas surrounding Harmony Village. Over the years this has become a yearly tradition. Thus on December 28, 2010 some 500 chosen children from families of different faith affiliations

On January 2, 2011, the Feast of the Epiphany, family and friends of Jackelyn L. Timoteo came to the Holy Family Church to witness as she made her vow of commitment to a Life of Promise as a member of Emmaus Dialogue Community (EDC). The same occasion also marked the Renewal of Lifetime Commitment as

It has been a commitment for Silsilah Dialogue Movement to produce every year the Silsilah Calendar which was started in the year 1992. From a simple calendar planner to an informative Gregorian and Hijrah calendar it has been very useful to Muslim and Christian community. Individuals, groups and institutions continue to request for it and

In Zamboanga City – Philippines, a gathering of renewal of commitment for dialogue and peace last December 12, 2010 in Harmony Village at Sinunuc brought together some 200 hundred Muslim and Christian members and friends of Silsilah Dialogue Movement all over Mindanao. This year’s Renewal of Commitment highlighted the sharing of the experiences and memories

The declaration of the Eight Doha Conference on Interfaith dialogue was presented by one of the close Muslim leaders of Silsilah Dr. Aboulkhair Tarason during the Silsilah Madaris Gurus and Catechist Seminar held in Harmony Village, Zamboanga City on October 25-27, 2010.  Silsilah is happy to present this declaration on the occasion of the Amun

The massacre in Baghdad on October 31 inside a Syrian Catholic Church during the celebration of the mass has urged us, members of the INTER-FAITH Council of Leaders (ifcl) of Zamboanga City in Mindanao, to reflect once again on the “Anger that drives violence in the world and what do the Bible and the Qur’an

Sincerity is one of the traits in those that engage in dialogue which make for genuine dialogue, the kind that fosters better relationships and understanding. By sincerity we mean that our words convey what we want to say, not what we think the other wants to hear. This connotation of sincerity presupposes that there is

The Silsilah Dialogue Movement’s initiatives for the youth are run basically through the Silpeace Youth Program. These initiatives are coordinated by two youthful full-time staff of the Movement who in turn work with students in the high schools and colleges as well as with young people who are no longer in school. These young volunteers

An on-line publication, Jewish World Review, has been running a series entitled “Positive Word Power – Building a Better World with the Words You Speak”. Since words are our usual way of communicating with others, the series is very helpful. The series begins with the following: Talk is NOT cheap. Words are our most valuable

After the successful launching of the Inter-Faith Council of Leaders (IFCL)-Basilan on July 26, 2010, a follow-on activity was organized to gather friends and prospective members of IFCL on October 7, 2010 at the Basilan State College in Isabela City, Basilan. The gathering was made possible with the enthusiastic work of the IFCL-Basilan Coordinators, Prof.

Silsilah believes that through living life-in-dialogue, people of different faiths and cultures can create a world of harmony, solidarity and peace. Silsilah also believes in the crucial role of media in bringing about this goal. Acting on these beliefs, Silsilah has been implementing a program aimed at the youth which seeks to increase media awareness

Alzad T. Sattar is a young Muslim from Basilan who is a professor at the Basilan State College in Isabela City, Basilan. On a scholarship from the Ford Foundation he attended the Coexistence and Conflict Resolution Program at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts in the United States where he received an MA. His master’s thesis

(The Silsilah Dialogue Movement advocates not only for Muslim-Christian dialogue but also dialogue with other religions. It helps us to understand a religion a bit more when we are able to look into the thoughts of religious leaders in that religion. It is with this thought that we print here an excerpt of a speech

The Silsilah Dialogue Movement has kept a tradition of sending a message to the Muslims during the month of Ramadhan and a message to the Christians on the occasion of the celebration of Advent. Following this tradition, once again Silsilah shares a message of peace to the Christians who, starting November 29, will enter a

There is no need to mention the details, but this reflection is to join many in the world who have expressed indignation and pain over the Maguindanao Massacre of November 23. This day will mark forever a dark day in the history of   Mindanao. For those like us in Silsilah  who have  been  working hard for many  years to promote dialogue  and

Many of the conflicts in human society – conflicts between individuals, between families, between ethnic groups – have arisen because one party in the conflict feels having been wronged. In many instances the original wrong, if there was one, may have taken place a good while back. But the memory over time still stokes strong

In His wisdom God made a world of tremendous diversity. The creatures of the sea range from the gigantic whales and the tiny plankton. We have the towering redwoods and the lichen whose structure is barely discernible. Existing in their natural habitats are the huge elephants and furry animals small enough to fit in the

Climate change and high-intensity weather disturbances. Movement of tectonic plates and earthquakes. These were some of the topics taken up in the 22nd Kapihan sa Silsilah held at the Sunflower Restaurant on October 31, 2009. These topics were of great interest and concern to the attendees at the Kapihan, especially in the wake of the great calamity

On October 20-22, 2009, 24 catechist and 22 madaris gurus coming from different areas in the province of Basilan came to Harmony Village in Zamboanga City for a seminar-workshop on dialogue and peace. Two focal aims of the seminar were to build friendship among the participants and to make them aware of the recent dialogue efforts between Muslim and Christian

Among the Silsilah Dialogue Movement’s pillars of dialogue, the central one is the dialogue with God. As we reach out in dialogue with God, we become imbued with his spirit and his grace, and we are better able to dialogue with others and with creation. It is the grace we receive from God that makes

On October 18 Catholics in the world will celebrate WORLD MISSION SUNDAY. This celebration was initiated by Pope Pius XI in 1926.On this eighty-third World Mission Sunday the theme proposed by Pope Benedict XVI is “The nations will come to its Light” (Rev.21,24).How are we to   understand this message today when less than 3% of the population of Asia is Christian, in spite of

The recent sufferings in loss of lives and damage to properties brought about by two typhoons (international names Ketsana and Parma, locally Ondoy and Pepeng respectively) in September have shaken many people. Those most affected were residents of the National Capital Region (Metro Manila and environs) and several provinces of Luzon. Within the same fortnight

“Bawal magkasakit” ( It is prohibited to get sick.) This is often said in jest but the admonition cannot be taken too lightly. Being ill has implications beyond the aches and pains of the sick individual. In these hard economic times a very serious implication is the cost of being sick – the cost of

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is an international organization that developed from the Asia-Africa Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955. The member-countries are those which hoped to ensure their  progress and independence  without being drawn into an alignment with either the West or the Soviet blocs during the time of the Cold War. At present

The Vienna International Christian-Islamic Round Table, which is referred to for brevity by the name VICIRoTa, has met five times since 2000. It counts 15 members who are academics and/or religious leaders from both the Christian and Islamic communities. At its 5th Plenary Meeting in October 2008 VICITRoTa came out with a manifesto expressing what

Silsilah applies much of its energy and resources to the promotion of Muslim-Christian dialogue, but this is most certainly not the only type of dialogue that it pursues and promotes. The Silsilah vision of dialogue has four strands, or more correctly, a key strand from which flows three other strands. Dialogue with God is the

Silsilah applies much of its energy and resources to the promotion of Muslim-Christian dialogue, but this is most certainly not the only type of dialogue that it pursues and promotes. The Silsilah vision of dialogue has four strands, or more correctly, a key strand from which flows three other strands. Dialogue with God is the

Needless to say water is a basic need of man. And it is rightly said that “Water is gold and water is life” (El agua es oro, el agua es vida). From the outset the advocacy undertaken by 7 groups in the city was not to take a stand against mining per se; the advocacy

Needless to say water is a basic need of man. And it is rightly said that “Water is gold and water is life” (El agua es oro, el agua es vida). From the outset the advocacy undertaken by 7 groups in the city was not to take a stand against mining per se; the advocacy

The Silsilah Peace and Development Services (SPDS) hosted on August 20, 2009, the 21st Kapihan sa Silsilah  at the Sunflower Food Center in Zamboanga City on the topic “Human Trafficking: A Global Phenomenon”. The Silsilah Peace and Development Services (SPDS) hosted on August 20, 2009, the 21st Kapihan sa Silsilah  at the Sunflower Food Center

In 2002, the Committee on Education of the Interfaith Council of Leaders sponsored an orientation seminar on Culture of Dialogue, path to peace to some Muslim and Christian honor students who were graduated from selected Elementary Schools in Zamboanga City. This is an effort to expose our young incoming high school students to a life

The initial gathering was held last June 19, 2009 when Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME invited some friends to the Poveda School located at the heart of the Ortigas Commercial Complex. After sharing the joyful celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement last May 9, 2009, the concept of an Inter Faith Dialogue

Ramadhan is a special month of blessings, full of grace. The Holy Qur’an revealed the importance of fasting, reaffirming the necessity to fast for the Muslim Umma. Ramadhan is an Arabic word composed of three root letters: RA expresses RAHMAT meaning blessings of Allah; MIM expresses MAGHFIRAH meaning the forgiveness of Allah; and DHAD expresses

List of Oasis News 2007 1st week – Wednesday – Sept. 5, 2007 | A New SILSILAH CENTER in JOLO 2nd Week | RAMADHAN MESSAGE FROM THE SILSILAH DIALOGUE MOVEMENT 3rd week – Wednesday – Sept. 19, 2007 | GOOD GOVERNANCE: CIVIL SOCIETY’S BUSINESS 4th week – Wednesday – Sept. 26, 2007 | MIGRATION & DEPORTATION… A SOCIAL CONCERN OF