Saturday, May 23, 2009

Silsilah Dialogue Movement celebrates 25th anniversary in the Philippines

Silsilah Dialogue Movement celebrates 25th anniversary in the Philippines.
Touched by an experience of conflict between Muslims and Christians in Mindanao and inspired by God's dialogue with people of all cultures and religions, Fr. Sebastiano D'Ambra, PIME with a group of Muslim and Christian friends started officially the Silsilah Dialogue Movement in Zamboanga City on May 9, 1984.

Silsilah is an Arabic word which literally means chain or link. As used by the Sufis (Muslim Mystics), it describes a process of attaining an experience of the Divine. The same root word is used as “geneological tree” which implies a spiritual chain of humanity as created by the same God.
Thus, “Silsilah” in the context of the Movement is taken as an inspiring and key concept to describe Muslims, Christians and people of other living faiths who are moving together as one universal family towards a shared vision and mission of dialogue and peace.

CALL

Recognizing the uniqueness of each religion, people are called to undergo a process of spiritual growth by a continuous discovering of God's dialogue in human experience. It is a call to witness God's presence in the plurality of religions and cultures.
It is also a call to live the spirituality of life-in-dialogue as the basic experience that leads to dialogue and peace. Silsilah is an arabic word which literally means chain or link.

VISION

In the name of God, the Fountain and Source of dialogue, Silsilah envisions a life-in-dialogue for all Muslims, Christians and Peoples of other living faiths, in respect, trust and love for one another and moving together towards a common experience of harmony, solidarity and peace.

MISSION

As instruments of dialogue and peace, we, the members of Silsilah, commit ourselves:

- to live the essence of our own faiths and bear witness to the value of our religious traditions.

- to be in dialogue with all people, regardless of culture and faith, by promoting a culture of dialogue with particular emphasis on the spiritual values; and
-to be in solidarity with all people in the upliftment of the less privileged in the building up of a progressive, just, humane and ecologically sound society.

Silsilah welcomes all to be part of the Movement as members, partners or friends willing to have a sincere responsible "link" in the spirit of dialogue and peace promoted by Silsilah.

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