In the past long years, Fr. Albert acted as the director of “the Committee of Religious Dialogue and Cooperation of Roman Catholic Church”. He hoped to pass the work over to the young fathers. But the religious group thought Fr. Albert was still equal to the important job! The execution of transference was postponed. But his physical conditions made it necessary and indispensable for Roman Catholic Church to face the fact that Fr. Albert was really too old and too weak to go on with the job. And then they found it was very hard to get such a talent of excellent background. At best, he was a father of the Society of Jesus of good background, pure thought. In addition, the father had to be young and open to different religions. What was more important, he could represent Roman Catholic Church to take part in the religious dialogue with different religions. Only at the moment did they find most fathers were not familiar with “Religious Dialogue”. Fr. Albert regarded it as a great regret!
Fr. Albert put down the eating utensils and said: “But Shi Xiang (Sense) is the most proper candidate and he is equal to the job. It is a pity that he is not a Catholic!” He eats little and he has been a vegetarian since he touched Buddhism more than thirty years ago.”
Superintendent Wang said: “Why not?” Sometimes we are supposed to get out of our fixed thoughts. If a Buddhist leads the Catholic Groups to carry on religious dialogue, we are sure to take a new look!” How great the thought was! Such an attitude of open-mindedness and confidence led us to a long thinking! I thought to myself: “If Fr. Albert proposes the suggestion to me, will I accept his kind suggestion? Am I competent for the job? If only a Catholic can take the job, will I change my faith?” Though I am a Buddhist, I have deep predestination with Roman Catholic Church. For long years, I worked as the editor-in-chief of Publication Officer of Catholic Kan Tai Medical & Educational Foundation. And so I have more and better chances of getting along with Catholic friends. My friends around me are almost all Catholics. Some Buddhist friends said: “Some day I may convert my faith from Buddhism to Roman Catholic Church. And my Catholic friends also told me that Fr. Albert would like to do Baptism Ceremony for me. And yet these are the last (impossible) things that I will do! Because of religious dialogue and because of Fr. Albert, I got to understand more and I cherished my faith more. I didn’t think Fr. Albert expected me to become a Catholic! I told Fr. Albert what my friends had said. He said that he never had the idea! He said: “Religious dialogue is carried on not for preaching but for learning from other religions by way of religious dialogue. Preachers do not preach! The thought and the action completely overthrow the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council in 1965. Up to the present time, many Catholic Fathers can not accept the fact that there are different religions and different Gods!
Religious dialogue is not an easy job! Hunan beings have been going through several years of “try and error” (groping) and wars. Not until recent years are people willing to put their steps out (of their life circle)! From no religions through religious acceptance and the liking acceptance of different religions to mutual understanding and to sympathy of sufferings, this involves many different levels of soul interactions. I always think that faith opens the door to another world. You of course can choose to close the door and to live a peaceful life in your familiar surroundings. But you may try to open the door and to get out of your houses to see the open and spacious world of love created by almighty God! And the key to the door is only (in) your open mind! Otherwise, why dose almighty God create so many religions and viewpoints on things?
One month later, Father Paul Batairwa from the Congo showed up in time. He filled in all the qualifications. And he had an open mind to go on with religious dialogue. The only problem is that he belongs to a different group of Roman Catholic Church--- “the Society of St. Francis Xavier”. He is an open and optimistic black person. He is smart and deeply appreciates from life. He often wears a bright smile. He has as white black teeth as the TV commercials of tooth paste. His experiences are rather special. His family is better-off in the Congo. And it is a Catholic country. He has more and better chances of development in the Congo. I wonder why he chose to follow the spirit of St. Francis Xavier to serve on foreign lands. I asked him why he chose Taiwan. Is a black person discriminated here in Taiwan? He said just because he is black, where people are willing to accept him and to like him, he stays there. He likes what God likes.
Fr. Albert could put down his suspending and worrying mind. He could pass over to Father Paul Batairwa the contacts and resources of forty years. And Father Paul Batairwa then was lost in reading all the documents of Fr. Albert. Fr. Albert also took Father Paul Batairwa to pay friendly visits to the sites of different religions every week.
**********To Be Continued! **********
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