A multifaith celebration of Year of Mercy was held last week in Wellington.
It was a joint initiative of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Committee for Interfaith Relations and the Wellington Abrahamic Council of Jews, Christians and Muslims.
The first part of the event was a panel presentation by three speakers.
JoEllen Dukkor (Jewish), Sister Elizabeth Julian (Christian) and Sultan Eusoff (Muslim) spoke about God’s mercy in their respective scriptures.
During the evening, participants worked on a mosaic of mercy with key quotes from the scriptures and literature, punctuated with pictures illustrating the works of mercy.
“However, the works of mercy are a call to action,” explains Sister Catherine Jones, Chair of the Bishops Committee, “so the reflective evening was followed by a day of action on Saturday 21 May.”
This part of the event included collection and preparation of hygiene kits and toiletries for the Wellington Night Shelter and the Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust, baking some sweet treats for the Compassion Centre Soup Kitchen, and a visit to the patients and residents at Te Hopai Hospital and Rest Home.
Outdoor activities “to care for our common home” were curtailed because of bad weather, but some braved the elements to work in the Taputeranga Marae gardens.
The Year of Mercy is celebrated in many ways, and in particular in this encounter with people of other faiths, working together in service of those most in need.
Source
Supplied
Further information from Sr Catherine Jones, smsm
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