Dialogue movement to train Muslim, Christian educators

MANILA, Philippines — An interfaith dialogue movement will start training Muslim and Christian religious educators for peace in January, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said. The CBCP website (www.cbcpnews.com) said the Silsilah Multi-Dialogue Movement will train elected Christian catechists and Muslim Madaris at the Harmony Village in Pitogo, Sinunuc, Zamboanga City. "For the last 24 years, one of Silsilah's major tasks is its formation program encouraging Muslims become better Muslims and Christians become better Christians through deeper knowledge and appreciation of their respective faiths," it said. It added that the first group of religious educators initiated to this program was in 2006 with the intention that more groups will follow. Madrasa (plural form: madaris) or Islamic schools provide basic education on Islam and the Islamic teachers exercise significant influence in the formation of minds and hearts of the young Muslim students. Christian catechesis provide the basic teachings on Christianity in schools and parishes and the catechists have the responsibility to be the young students' guide and model. Other objectives of the madaris teachers and catechists' gathering include to build friendship among the Muslim scholars and Christian catechists based on sincerity, sensitivity and solidarity. Another objective is to share the Silsilah experience and to encourage them to share their own stories as religion teachers and their experiences on inter-religious dialogue. Meanwhile, the Catholic Institute of Formation and Religious Studies (IFRS) will spearhead evangelization work among the street families of Manila. Sister Emelina Villegas, provincial superior of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, said many families actually "live" on the streets, surviving by begging and petty crime. To start the program, Villegas is seeking financial help from the Germany-based "Aid to the Church in Need," an international Catholic charity agency. Established in 1963, IFRS is an inter-congregational educational institution recognized by the Philippine government. It is committed to a contextual, integrated and inclusive, and transformational formation and education of religious and lay women and men who wish to proclaim through word and deed the Biblical imperatives of love, truth, justice and peace. - GMANews.TV