The news of the death of Sr. Lilian Curaming, today September 10, 2020 has reached fast to so many friends including Muslim friends who have shared their words of solidarity to Silsilah. Sr. Lilian was a great instrument for the promotion of Muslim-Christian dialogue especially in Mindanao. She was very close to Bp. Tudtud and to many of us, who have been journeying on the path of Muslim-Christian dialogue. For me and for Silsilah, she was a friend and an icon of dialogue.
In the seventies, she was in Rome to study in PISAI (Pontifical Institute for Islamic and Arabic Studies), the same institute where I studied after. Even in that institute, people still asked me about Sr. Lilian. Why? She was kind, friendly, but also very determined in the mission of dialogue and she was of great help to Silsilah and Emmaus in the first few years, even living with us as part of the Emmaus Dialogue Community in the poor area of Sta. Catalina (Padayon Center) Zamboanga City. She was also an instrument to improve our Silsilah Summer Course on Muslim-Christian dialogue and she wrote her doctoral dissertation based on the Silsilah approach on the Summer Course on Muslim-Christian dialogue.
For many years, she was also our resource speaker in different courses in Silsilah and in different schools of theology in Manila and other parts of the country. Because of her skills and dedication the Franciscan Missionaries sent her to different countries in Africa to promote Interreligious Dialogue and the Franciscan spirituality.
Coming back to the Philippines, she continued her mission of dialogue and last year, she helped the core group of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission for Interreligious Dialogue that I organized in Manila as the Executive Secretary of the commission in preparation to the special year of Ecumenism, Interreligious Dialogue and Indigenous Peoples. Many things I can share about her. Indeed, she was a good Franciscan Missionary and an icon of interreligious dialogue. The last contact with her was when a few months ago, she informed me that she was in her fourth stage of cancer and she asked us to pray.
Her wisdom and friendship will remain in my mind and heart and I treasure it personally, but also Silsilah and Emmaus. We remember her with gratitude and friendship. She was also close to us when Fr. Salvatore Carzedda, PIME was killed in 1992 in Zamboanga City and with us shared the message of “Padayon” (move on) that gave more courage and determination to all of us in Silsilah and Emmaus. She was also with us when at the presence of President Ramos in 1999. Fr. Salvatore Carzedda, PIME received a posthumous peace award from Aurora Aragon-Quezon Peace Awards.
In this special year of interreligious dialogue, I remind all in the name of the CBCP-ECID and Silsilah to continue to believe in dialogue in this difficult time and find inspiration from Sr. Lilian Curaming.
Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME
Founder, Silsilah Dialogue Movement
Executive Secretary, CBCP-ECID