Interreligious Christmas Gathering (December 2024)

(From Catholic News)

Closing the year with much cheer, some 88 guests attended the 10th annual Archdiocesan Interreligious Christmas Celebration at the Church of the Holy Spirit (CHS) on Upper Thomson Road on the evening of Dec 26, 2024.

Jointly organised by the Archdiocesan Catholic Council for Interreligious Dialogue (ACCIRD) and the Archdiocesan Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism Centre of Singapore (AIRDECS), and hosted by Cardinal William Goh, the evening began with CHS parish priest Fr Kamelus Kamus CICM sharing a brief history of the parish with the guests.

Leaders of the Hindu, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Taoist, Jain, Muslim, Sikh, and Baha’i faiths in turn spoke on the theme ‘We Are Pilgrims Of Hope’ – reflecting the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope.

A light in the darkness; a seed bearing the promise of a great tree; a candle flame flickering in a strong wind – these were metaphors offered to describe ‘hope’, a virtue all agreed emboldens us to overcome obstacles we face on our journey through life – our earthly pilgrimage – with patience and fortitude.

In his reflection, Cardinal William Goh said Christmas is a celebration of God’s everlasting love to humanity, bringing the hope of eternal life for all who receive this gift with faith.

Christian hope is sustained by love and faith, and we are called to witness to our faith by bringing this hope to others through our care, compassion, and charitable works, he said.

After a beautiful rendition of Christmas carols sung by Fr Kamus and Resonare, a group of a cappella singers from the parish, the celebration continued with a spread of delectable food specially catered to the different religious dietary requirements in the church canteen, decorated in a cosy Christmas setting.

The animated conversations and laughter that evening paused briefly as Mr Gurmit Singh, President of the Inter-Religious Organisation, Singapore, and Monsignor Peter Zhang CDD, Vicar-General of Interreligious and Ecumenical Relations addressed the crowd.

Mr Singh, a Sikh, encouraged all present to never give up hope on those who had strayed from the path to come back to the faith, while Msgr Zhang called on people of all faiths to journey together in harmony, compassion, and the shared hope for a better future, showing that interreligious dialogue and cooperation can serve as a beacon of hope in a turbulent and challenging world.

The guests, who were enjoying the celebration and each other’s company, were still engaged in conversation close to an hour after the event officially ended.

Mrs Lydia Lim, who attended the event for the first time with her husband, Philip Lim, the recently elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore, said she found the evening meaningful.

“Hope reminds me of a sparkling, multi-faceted diamond. From whichever perspective you look at hope, it will always reflect the glorious truth that we will see God face to face one day, if we remain filled with love and faith on our journey,” she said.