Sree Narayana Guru’s message pertinent to today’s world: Pope Francis

Sivagiri Madhom president Swami Sathchidananda presenting a memento to Pope Francis at the Vatican.

Vatican City: The Pope inaugurates an interreligious conference organised by the Sivagiri Madhom at the Vatican to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the ‘All Religions’ Conference’ organised by Sree Narayana Guru in 1924.Sree Narayana Guru’s message is relevant at a time when the world is witnessing “growing instances of intolerance and hatred between peoples and nations,” Pope Francis said on Saturday.

The Pope was inaugurating an interreligious conference organised by the Sivagiri Madhom at the Vatican to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the ‘All Religions’ Conference’ organised by Sree Narayana Guru in 1924.

Narayana Guru dedicated his life to promoting a social and religious awakening by his clear message that all human beings, regardless of their ethnicity or their religious and cultural traditions, are members of the single human family, the Pope said. 

“He (Narayana Guru) insisted that there should be no discrimination against anyone in any way and at any level. His message is pertinent to our world today, where we witness growing instances of intolerance and hatred between peoples and nations,” the Pope said.  

Pope Francis went on to add that “displays of discrimination and exclusion, tensions and violence” based on differences of ethnic or social origin, race, colour, language and religion are a daily experience of many individuals and communities, “most especially among the poor, the powerless and those without a voice.”

Failure to follow the noble teachings of religions is one of the causes for the troubled situation in which the world finds itself today, the Pope said.

The interreligious conference is being organised with the support of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue at the Vatican. Pope Francis observed that the theme of the Conference, ‘Religions Together for a Better Humanity,’ is quite relevant and important for our times.

Sivagiri Madhom president Swami Sathchidananda presented a memento to the Pope. Madhom  general secretary Swami Shubhanganada, organising committee secretary Swami Veereswarananda and Swami Rithambarananda, Karnataka Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader, organising committee general convener Chandy Oommen, MLA and Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal were among those present.

(The Hindu)