During this time of COVID 19, we need to face many difficult realities and help each other more. On May 24, on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of “Laudato Si”, Pope Francis encouraged all to pray for this special year of “Laudato Si”. In this prayer we read: “Now more than ever, may we be able to feel that we are all inter-connected and interdependent.” Yes, this message reaffirms the mission of Silsilah that we present here in a touching story of Alfrein O. Quirionez, the Christian Coordinator of Silsilah Forum in Manila. He wrote to us:
““Eid Mubarak!”, which means a Blessed Feast”. “Eid Mubarak” is an Arabic term which is the usual greetings among our brothers and sisters in Islamic faith. It is a celebration of the great feast of Eidl Fitr which culminates the thirty-day Holy Season of Ramadan. This year’s Ramadan commenced on April 23 and ended the night of May 23, 2020. It is a month long observation of fasting, prayer and alms-giving as our Muslim brothers and sisters submit themselves totally in the spiritual purification before Allah. In the Catholic Christian tradition this religious practice may liken to the observance during the season of Lent which commemorates the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
During Ramadam, I have witnessed how Quiapo Church and the Silsilah Dialogue Movement collaborated to reach out to the Muslim community, in order to show some gestures of solidarity through various outreach programs and projects. In most cases the target beneficiaries are mostly the children and poorest members of the society in Quiapo, Manila. But, the celebration of “Eid Mubarak” for this Year 2020 falls under the so called “New Normal” brought about by this Covid-19 pandemic. Would there be any difference from the past?
As I try to recall from my past experiences being in the mission in building dialogue with other faiths specially with the Muslims in Quiapo, the greatest scenario I like most is witnessing thousands of Muslims congregating in prayer in-and-out of the Manila Golden Mosque and Cultural Center- a place which draws the faithful to become one and united “Umma” or community of faith who pray together in their own distinct way of expressing spiritual communion with each other and to the Almighty Allah. The “iftar” or breaking-of-fast in my office, is what I missed this year. It is done on the eve before the celebration of the Eidl Fitr for our Muslim youth. It was a moment of genuine experience of communion and solidarity among our Silpeace Muslim and Christian youth who had prayed together, shared the same food, heard each other’s personal encounter with God and our very own stories of change in the journey of dialogue to build friendship and peace. Actually, there are lot of things I missed, I missed as well the warm greetings of “Assalamualaikum!” as I entered the Golden Mosque to facilitate our visitors and students who sought for immersion and exposure in the Muslim community during Ramadan.
I missed to see how Hadji Ali Alawi, our Muslim coordinator in the community who passionately shared about the history of the Golden Mosque and the basic tenet of Islam every time we had the Bukas Quiapo Tour in the area. Those were also some of the engagements I missed, I missed being in dialogue with personal “encounter” or “meeting” of presence with the Muslims and other faiths whose sharing of ideas, thoughts and feelings were free flowing to enrich each other’s experiences. This type of encounter is what I missed most and might be missing for quite some time now due to social distancing guidelines in the effort to mitigate the further contraction of the virus. Nevertheless, despite all the many odds, God’s providence has kept Quiapo Church operational in order to continue reaching out more people not only in terms of spiritual concerns, but also to provide some basic needs such as the provisions of rice, vegetables, eggs, dried fish, noodles, and canned goods for the hundreds of people queuing every day from morning to afternoon at the church’s gate since the lockdown was declared.
Quiapo Church, in this time of pandemic, has not only become the church for the Christians, but also turned out to be a refuge for the Muslims and other faiths who seek for relief and intervention in this trying time. A time which is very challenging to see the worse in people, but at the same time, invites to show the best in them regardless of ones’ faiths and predicaments being into. As a witness, my wonderful encounter with this Muslim lady queuing at the church’s gate telling me, “Sir, pwede po bang huwag nyo na lang tangalin yung mga delatang hindi halal? Ibibigay na lang po namin yan sa aming kapit bahay na Christians. Hirap din sila eh”
(Sir, can you please not remove the canned goods that are not ‘Halal’? We’ll give it to our Christian neighbors instead, because they’re struggling as well.”) has enriched my views in life-such act of kindness which eventually struck my soul for that moment for deep spirituality that can be purified by prayers in this Holy month of Ramadan. A season that invites all to break the walls of barrier of religions and to open the doors for human fraternity. The Muslim Lady is blessed for seeing through God’s of mercy and compassion for what she believes in. It is the same teaching of the God whom I have ever known as a Christian in the person of the Merciful and Compassionate Jesus the Nazarene.
Hence, my experience being with our Muslim neighbors in their Holy season of Ramadan amidst the crisis brought about by this pandemic reminds me that there is no such thing as monopoly of goodness that we can never claim to only pertains within a particular faith and religion we have embrace. Goodness is everywhere. Goodness is always in the heart of human kind which can also be found in the “Other side” where people from different faiths are called to meet on the common ground. And this is the experience of dialogue of life and faith where everyone is called to walk towards the path to peace and work together for the healing of our common home.
Alfrein O. Quirionez
Coordinator, Interreligious Dialogue Ministry, Quiapo Church