Jain Catholic Dialogue 20150524

Author(s): Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
Publisher: Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington

Page 23

JSMW
Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
A non-profit tax-exempt religious organization, id # 54-1139623
Message from Chairman Pravin Dand
Jai Jinendra,
May 24, 2015
Your Eminence Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, Your Eminence Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Dr. Francis Clooney, Dr. Dipak Jain, Mr. Prem Jain, Mr. Arvind Vohra, Respected Members of the Board of Trustees, Members of the Executive Committee, Volunteers and Members of the Jain Society.
I consider it an honor and privilege to stand here and say a few words in general about compassion and thank all the dignitaries and all others who have attended the first ever Jain - Catholic Dialogue in the Metro Washington area.
This is an historical event as it is for the first time in the Metro area that the Jain and Catholic communities have come together to enter into a dialogue and to know and clearly understand the virtues and beliefs of the two religion.
What an appropriate topic, then, to base this first discussion between our two religions than Compassion? Something that has been ably shown today as core to both our beliefs and traditions.
Compassion is critical in the teachings of the Bible. At the same time it is also a critical element in everything that we believe as Jains. It stands at the center of who we are as human beings.
Today's talk highlights that while there is much to divide us, there is so much more to unite us. I hope that this will be the beginning of many more such dialogues between our communities - something that becomes ever more important with each day as religious intolerance and violence spreads around the world.
I would like to thank His Eminence Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran (Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church) President, Pontifical Council for the Inter Religious Dialogue, Vatican. His Eminence Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and Dr. Francis Clooney for taking time to come here and talk to us today. We welcome them as friends.
I would also like to thank Dr. Dipak Jain, Director (Dean) of Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. Mr. Arvind Vohra from New York, and Mr. Prem Jain, President of JAINA from California
And how can I forget to thank all the Trustees, President and Executive Committee members, Volunteers and members of the Jain Society.
Thank you and Jai Jinendra.
Pravin Dand
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington