When we started the Silsilah Summer Course in 1987 in Zamboanga City, I could not imagine to reach so for from that time every year up to this year. We started on the local level, after Mindanao and National level and along the years became also international with students of different countries. The list of our alumni is in the website of Silsilah (https://www.silsilahdialogue.com/). There are many Muslims and Christians. Thanks to this program, we adventure to open the Harmony Village, to organize the Silsilah Dialogue Institute and to be in contact with many institutions and organizations, Christians and Muslims. This dynamic effort has also been the entry point for many other developments in Silsilah. The “Living Faith” Online Formation Program this year became a great challenge for us and we have been able to do it.
The initial idea was to stop for one year the Summer Course with the hope to restart next year, but we reflected saying: “if there is a will, there is a way” and we challenged each other and we decided to do for the first time, a Summer Course Online for twenty weeks preparing an Episode every week and meet the students every week on ZOOM for a deepening on the Episode of the week. We presented for ten weeks, with the Living Faith of the Muslims inspired by the “99 Beautiful Names of Allah” and ten weeks on the Living Faith of the Christians inspired by the “Beatitudes of Jesus”.
For me, since I have been involved in the first Summer Course from 1987 up to now with this online program, I can say that it has been always a new experience. Among all the most challenging one was during the Summer Course of 1992, when Fr. Salvatore Carzedda, PIME one of the closest member of Silsilah and lecturer of the Summer Course was killed along the road going back to the PIME residence and the most touching graduation of the Summer Course was when we did the graduation of the 1992 Summer Course in front of the coffin of Fr. Salvatore and together we committed to continue our mission of Silsilah in spite of the threat from those who tried to stop this mission of Silsilah on dialogue. On November 7, this year, we did our graduation of the online Summer Course 2020 on “Living Faith” and most of the participants/students of this new course did not know the story of the Silsilah Summer Course, but they were happy of this experience.
Here we share some reflections sent to us on the occasion of the closing program. Among the many, we chose these:
Ma. Isabel Lopez said, “After the discussion of the 10 episodes on the 99 names of Allah, I have appreciated and learned that both Muslims and Christians can live peacefully and harmoniously in a community, Only, we need to respect each other’s faith, culture and traditions. The different living Faith episodes expand my understanding about the Islamic faith, its teachings. What we need is to be a good example of our own faith and live according to the teachings of God… Part II of the online formation is about the Beatitudes of Jesus. All the Episodes on the Beatitudes of Jesus are very interesting and Jesus wants us to always do good things & to follow His will not our will and always work for the Kingdom of God though sometimes we need to face some spiritual battles or challenges in our life as what Bishop David said and we need to fight all these with our deep faith, fervent prayers and always focus that God loves us and he is always there with us in our journey. We only need to trust everything to our Lord.
Pasteur Mugisho Bisimwa, from Congo studying in Manila said, “The Personal experiences and sharing of our classmates in this program: the live sharings was also very important as companionship in learning even though it was virtual. The different sharing helped me to understand how differently we are touched by the same message of the beatitudes and yet we all find common ground through dialogue because we have the same purpose.”
Prof. Philip Fuentes from the University of Sto. Tomas presented a long reflection and we took these points, “Learning religious history being replete of conflicts, violence, etc. with the adherents of other religious traditions can lead us to a mutual realization that peace and harmony could never be achieved through the antiquated inflammatory language and practices in dealing with each other. IRD’s indispensable role in the desire to repair the damaged relationships is beyond contestation. The many occasions where religious leaders and ordinary adherents come together on a table of friendship through dialogue are significant milestones in the enterprise of religion. Hence, IRD becomes a powerful tool, a significant platform through which we could respond to the will of God, that is, to promote peace and harmony amongst us. Indeed, the old paradigm or theology of supersessionism employed by our respective religious traditions necessitate a certain kind of reframing in such a way that it aims to achieve peace and harmony in our society or community devoid of violence and injustice…
Studying the 99 Names of Allah is also a very enriching learning experience to me as it helps facilitate the possibility of knowing and eventually understanding the tenets as well as the lifeworld of the Islamic tradition. Moreover, it helped me appreciate the many significant parallelisms in our traditions…
Studying the Eight Beatitudes of our Lord Jesus Christ in the light of interreligious dialogue is another important insight I gained in this program. This simply shows the kind of dynamism the gospel-truths manifest as it cannot just be highlighted in one particular context. Indeed, faith is not static. It is rather a living faith thereby it constantly requires an act of renewing to spring forth a new life, a new perspective in life, and our relationship with God, our fellow human beings, and our environment…
I learned that God is the primary author of interreligious dialogue; and that we, His children, are His collaborators in the realization of harmony and peace both in the spheres of religion and society. That is why, being agents of interreligious dialogue, we should not just rely on our power or capacity, rather we should primarily rely on the unending grace of God. I find this kind of realization more appropriate in the sense that IRD conforms to the beauty and goodness of God.”
Janille Mariz Garduque, an educator from Cagayan de Oro City said, “I am grateful to Silsilah for reinforcing the importance of peace and active dialogue in my life although I have my own weaknesses. I also treasured more the importance of education. I learned to listen to my companions in the forum and to value the importance of reflection and discernment. Silsilah has helped me so much in my journey to be more realistic at the same time to be more patient with myself, with people and even the reality of this pandemic. I have also been inspired by the life and legacies of the different speakers. It is inspring to know that there are really people of good-will in our country and around the world who are tireless in their service for peace.
Cassien Nshimirimana, Xavierian Missionaries said, “Over all , these learnings affect my view of interfaith dialogue in its varied form. I can say that dialogue is necessary in every aspect of our interaction either in secular or religious sphere. I would like to end my sharing with this inclusive remark of Pope Francis on dialogue in “Fratelli Tutti” (document). Approaching, speaking, listening, looking at, coming to know and understand one another, and to find common ground: all these things are summed up in the one word “dialogue.”( no 198). Therefore, if we want to encounter and help one another, we have to dialogue as expression of love rather than strategy.”
For me, this new effort was an occasion to put together the experience and linkages of Silsilah choosing the guest speakers among friends. Thanks to the Media staff of Silsilah, we did our best and you can view all here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/111776798849820/642533866360032/ .
Indeed, all of us are invited to find ways to continue the dreams and mission. Yes, if we are together, we can do more in spite of the fact that today we have many limitations because of COVID19. We also know that many still do not believe in dialogue and we are also under threat by those who create “terrors” around this mission of dialogue.
Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME
Founder, Silsilah Dialogue Movement
Executive Secretary, CBCP-ECID