IRD Labasa Activities Report - 17-22 July, 2025

Interreligious dialogue activities at Holy Family Parish, Schools, Nabala Parish, and communities in Labasa from 17^th July until 22^nd July 2025.

Activity 1:
Date: 17^th-18^th July 2025

I presented a follow-up PowerPoint presentation on interreligious dialogue to both primary (years 6, 7, and 8) and secondary (years 9 to 13) students. I engaged them in a meaningful discussion on interreligious dialogue, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect, understanding, and peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths.

As part of this session, I introduced “The Golden Rule” poster, which supports the Interfaith Dialogue with 13 sacred writings of 13 faiths from various world religions that echo the universal principle, "Treat others as you want to be treated." By highlighting this shared moral teaching, I encouraged students to see the common values that unite diverse religious traditions, offering this simple principle as an effective and practical guide to help relate with people of different religions, cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Some students and teachers showed concern about joining the Interfaith Pilgrimage Walk the next day. At the end, the students received The Golden Rule posters, which will be passed to the prayer place for each classroom. A few pictures and videos were taken during the session where the students found the same values, mutual understanding, peace, and compassion in 13 different religions and spiritualities, which can contribute to a more harmonious and inclusive society. 

Activity 2: Briefing on Women in Dialogue (Women’s Interfaith Group)
Date: 18^th July 2025.

As part of ongoing mission efforts, I convened a group of women from the Holy Family Parish, which included the Columban Companions in Mission (CCIM) members, to reflect on the formation of a Women’s Interfaith Group and outreach on emerging needs within our community through mercy and kindness. As women are the hearts of the families, the aim for this initiative is to promote common humanity and harmony for a more peaceful world. Fr. Carlo also joined the meeting.

During our gathering, a significant pastoral insight emerged: the need to form a Women's Interfaith Group committed to promoting understanding, unity, and collaborative action across faith traditions since it will be a gathering of different religions, cultures, and ages to meet in a spirit of solidarity and friendship. I shared with the CCIM members the Suva women’s Interfaith group events done regarding the meetings and gatherings around themes of our different faiths and cultures or issues that affect/impact women and communities, the work of mercy, and the care for the environment and for each other. Some religious festivals by the women’s Interfaith group event are a powerful reminder that despite the differences that may divide us, there are countless shared values. The group identified this initiative as a concrete expression of our shared values rooted in compassion and dialogue. Alongside interfaith engagement, we discussed a clear call to reach out in works of mercy and kindness, especially to those who are marginalized or in need of accompaniment and support.

This discernment marks an important step forward in living out the Gospel through inclusive relationships and active service. Next steps can include identifying potential interfaith partners, hosting initial gatherings, and exploring practical outreach opportunities grounded in shared values.

The CCIM members will meet in August for their next meeting to discuss how they can engage the non-Christian neighbors in acts of kindness and community building. We trust that this initiative, guided by the Spirit, will bear fruit in fostering peace, mutual respect, and solidarity in our diverse communities. This can be done over light refreshments and conversation. The CCIM members were invited to join the Interfaith Pilgrimage Walk to different worship places on the next day.

Activity 3. Interfaith Pilgrimage Walk to five different worship places in Labasa.
Date: 19^th July, 2025

I organized a group of individuals from diverse religious backgrounds to visit five different places of worship:

1. Then India Sanmarga Ikya. (TISI Sangam)
2. Sikh Gurudwara Temple.
3. Catholic church. (Holy family parish)
4. Shri Sanatan Dharm. (Ram Mandir)
5. The Fiji Muslim League Naseakula Mosque.

The purpose of this interfaith pilgrimage was to promote peace, mutual respect, and deeper understanding and common ground to build bridges among various faith communities. At each temple, a religious leader warmly welcomed us and shared insights into their culture, beliefs and practices. Thoughtful questions were asked by participants, encouraging open dialogue.

The pilgrims understood differences by recognizing and respecting the values of various religions, found common ground, ways of building relationships and benefiting from tolerance and acceptance, encourages peaceful coexistence, fosters understanding and cooperation and helping address social issues are the way forward to create peace in our nation.

We concluded with collective prayers for peace and unity, and shared refreshments together. Almost 50 participants joined this powerful spiritual journey where everyone walked side by side, seeking God in their own unique ways. It was the first time for many to engage in interreligious dialogue and contribute towards a more harmonious inclusive society. Many participants expressed a strong desire for more of these interfaith encounters to break down barriers and create a more compassionate united community.

Read: Short reflection on IRD pilgrimage walk - Fr Francis Nbwi La Aung

Activity 4. Sharing my experience attending the Interfaith Pilgrimage Walk to the Nabela community
Date: 20^th July 2025

The Sunday mass began at 11.00am by Fr. Francis in Naleba. He invited me to share the opportunity I had to share in the Interfaith Pilgrimage Walk on Saturday with the community.

I began with it; it was an inspiring journey involving members of diverse religious communities. Together, we visited multiple places of worship, including a Mosque, a Hindu temple, a Sikh Gurudwara, and Catholic Church. The walk fostered mutual understanding, respect, and meaningful conversations among people of different faiths.

I also shared as a Christian, I found it especially moving to witness the hospitality extended by each faith community and to experience their sacred space deepened my own faith.  I shared these reflections and insights with members of the Naleba community to encourage deeper interfaith dialogue and greater appreciation for our shared values of peace, compassion, and unity.

The Interfaith Pilgrimage Walk was a powerful reminder of how faith can bring us together rather than divide us.

I look forward to future initiatives that promote harmony through mutual respect and shared experiences and invite the members of Naleba to join such Interfaith activities. At the end I thanked them for their active listening.

Activity 5. On Interreligious Dialogue Awareness Campaign in Northern Region

Venue: Nabala Parish, Labasa.
Date: 21^st and 22^nd July 2025.

A power point presentation on Interreligious Dialogue Awareness Campaign was conducted to engage and educate key faith leaders and representatives in the northern region before their meeting. The initiative aimed to foster mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and collaboration among diverse faith communities.

Objectives of the Awareness Campaign:

• To raise awareness about the importance of interreligious dialogue in fostering peace and understanding, to encourage religious leaders and community representatives to embrace inclusive practice, to promote the principle of the Golden Rule as a unifying moral guideline across faiths.
• To urge participants to expand their influence (“enlarge the space of the tent”) through similar dialogues to serve the broader faith community and for the common good.

The awareness session brought together priests from various parishes in the northern region, youth representatives, catechism instructors, and parish chairpersons, who were introduced to the concept and significance of interreligious dialogue and the call to dialogue to reach out to other religions.

 Also, a presentation of “The Golden Rule” was conducted with a simple yet powerful resource that explained to the participants to broaden their outreach through welcoming diversity, building inclusive programs, and engaging in interfaith initiatives that promote peace, mutual respect and social harmony. Shared values among different faith traditions were emphasized, which can strengthen communities and support national unity. At the end, the Golden Rule poster was distributed widely to the group, and they expressed their appreciation for the awareness initiative.

Pescila Magdalin.
Columban Interreligious Dialogue Coordinator.