A Vesakha Message

Dear Buddhist friends, on the occasion of Vesak Day, I join in prayers with you that this annual festival may bring serenity and joy to Buddhists in Singapore and throughout the world. in Singapore, the respect and of different religions and faiths is a building block o of our society, and we wish to acknowledge the importance that the Catholic Church places on inter-religious dialogue as a means to living in peace and working together to achieve the best outcome for all. Pope Benedict XVI in his message for World Day of Peace this year, has stated, “for the Church, dialogue between the followers of the different religions represents an important means of cooperating with all religious communities for the common good.” We value our work with representives from the Buddhist community and other religions in the Presidential Council for Religious harmony to promote peace and harmony among all people. As we witness great suffering around the world today on so many levels, from natural disasters to religious persecution and war, it is important that we join together in our efforts to spread peace, working hand-in-hand to alleviate the suffering of those around us. My dear Buddhist friends, on behalf of the Archdiocese of Singapore, I pray that your celebration of Vesak will be a source of spiritual growth. Happy Vesak! Yours sincerely, Archbishop Nicholas Chia.