Interfaith Service of Prayer for Peace

Sunday 24 March, 2019 at 4.00pm

St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, Adelaide ____________________________________________________________________

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Kaurna elder, John Lochowiak gave a traditional Welcome to Country, seen here with all faith leaders

The community lit candles in honour of the dead and to light the hope of harmony

Welcome: Bishop Greg O’Kelly, Apostolic Administrator

Brothers, Sisters, my name is Greg O’Kelly. I am Bishop for the Archdiocese at the moment. I welcome you all here. We come from many churches and different faiths. We come into a House of Prayer. This is a House of Prayer, as are the two Mosques in Christchurch. So this gathering today make us one in heart and spirit. I now ask John Lochowiak to welcome us to Country.

Welcome to Country: John Lochowiak, Kaurna elder, Chair National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Council of Churches Ninna marni. My grandmother was a Kaurna Elder. Those words mean we all come together as one. My grandmother being a Kaurna elder, I’d like to acknowledge Kaurna elders both past and present and future. I’d like to say to you that our young people are emerging and one day they will be our leaders. So it’s important that we prepare them for the future.

It’s important to respect our Elders. Our elders play a very important part in our community. My grandmother, and my mother, let my children get away with things, they give them lollies and chocolate, but they still demand respect. Respect is so important.

Where we have problems today, here in Adelaide or around the world overseas, there is usually an element of lack of respect.

I feel very honoured today to be here to welcome you to country. For us, a Welcome to Country is so important, for when we do a welcome to country it means we are obligated to take care of you, to make sure you are looked after and keep you safe.

I’d like to sing you a little welcome song that my grandfather taught me:

Anangu-juta Guju Whitepella Walagi - Yuew!

It’s a spiritual song, for we are a spiritual people. It’s also a cleansing song, to cleanse us and heal our spirits and to scare away bad spirits. When all our spirits are strong, then we come together as one. The words of this spiritual song traditionally would say: Anangu-juta - lots of Aboriginal people Guju - come together as one Allagi - like that.

With my father’s permission, I’ve added in whitepella - so what the song says now is ‘black and white - coming together as one - like that’.

Matter of fact the more we learn about each other, the more we have in common than differences.

Welcome. Thank You.

Commitment to Interfaith Harmony in Australia:

Philippa Rowland (President, Multifaith Association of South Australia)

I am deeply grateful and honoured to be here.

Dom Bede Griffiths once said that the major religions of the world are like the fingers of one hand. Today ten faiths will be praying together, along with many others represented in this Cathedral. That in itself is a wonderful sign of healing of our world.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said: “There will always be difference, but we are all part of humanity. We must come to respect that and find mutual solutions. There must be reconciliation through face to face dialogue.

In 2015 the Multifaith Association of South Australia met at the time of the first Reclaim Australia rallies and I would like to read aloud the outcome of that meeting, our Commitment to Interfaith Harmony:

Australian National Anthem: Advance Australia Fair

Australians all let us rejoice, for we are young and free. We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil; our home is girt by sea. Our land abounds in nature’s gifts of beauty rich and rare; in history’s page let every stage advance Australia fair. In joyful strains then let us sing: Advance Australia fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross we’ll toil with hearts and hands to make this Commonwealth of ours renowned of all the lands. For those who’ve come across the seas we’ve boundless plains to share. With courage let us all combine to advance Australia fair. In joyful strains then let us sing: Advance Australia fair.

Imam Rijad Jazvin from the Bosnian Herzegovin Muslim Community of South Australia shared two prayers for peace:

Surah al-Fatihah from the Quran, and a personal prayer for brothers and sisters killed in New Zealand

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Surah Al-Fatihah 1. (The Opening) Quran

In the name of God, «A prayer for our brothers and sisters killed In New Zealand»

My Lord, I beg you to bless with Your Mercy the souls of those killed. I ask you to bring them into Your most beautiful and greatest kingdom of eternity.

We pray, as we prayed to You 25 years ago in my country of Bosnia and Herzegovina -grant people prosperity, grant people happiness, grant people mutual respect and understanding.

Protect and save us from those who bear ideas of hatred and intolerance, and the likes of the one who committed this crime, who found inspiration in criminals that committed crimes in my country, Bosnia.

You said in the holy Qur'an: «Who kills one man it is as if he had killed the whole world.»

Protect and save our country from all enemies. Give families of those killed in New Zealand patience at these difficult times, protect us from these and similar situations.

Peace be upon you. Amen.

The candle was lit by a member of this community. Period of silence and placing of candle

Giani Sukhdev Singh, priest from the Sikh Society of SA prayed ‘Addass’, a prayer shared at the beginning of Sikh worship.

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Translation (of the first part): There is one God. All Victory belongs to God. May the dynamic power of God help us. The poetic verse of Sri Bhagauti, composed by the Tenth King. Having first involved the dynamic power of God, call on Guru Nanak. Then on Angad Guru, Amar Das and Ram Das, may they ever protect us. Then call on Arjan, and Hargobind, holy Har Rai. Remember Holy Har Krishan, whose sight dispels all sorrows. Then remember Teg Bahadur by whose remembrance the nine treasures come hurrying to one’s home. Be ever with us O Masters. May the tenth king, Guru Gobind Singh be ever on our side. Let us now turn our thoughts to the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib, the visible embodiment of the ten Gurus and utter, O Khalsa Ji, Waheguru! (glory be to God). The five Beloved Ones, the four Sahibzaade (sons of the tenth Master), the forty emancipated ones, the martyrs, the true disciples, the contemplators of God, and those who remained steadfast on the path of Dharma, remember their glorious deeds and utter O Khalsa Ji, Waheguru!

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Manpreet Singh from the Guru Nanak Society of Australia.

Rabbi Shoshana Kaminsky (Beit Shalom Synagogue, Hackney) read aloud a short prayer for peace and taught us all a song.

A Prayer of Courage and Consolation, by Rabbi Karyn Kedar:

Holy One of Blessing,

grant us the will to stand firm

in the face of evil and hostility,

not to be silent or afraid.

To work diligently and faithfully

to banish wickedness from the earth.

Holy One of Blessing

grant us the courage and resolve

to speak when there is hatred,

to act when there is confusion,

to join with others and build a world of safety,

understanding and acceptance.

Because there is hate, dear God,

help us heal our fractured and broken world.

Because there is fear, dear God,

grant courage and faith to those in need.

Because there is pain, dear God,

bring healing to the shattered and wounded.

Because there is hope, dear God,

teach us to be a force for justice and kindness.

Because there is love, dear God,

help us to be a beacon of light and compassion.

As it is written,

be strong and let your heart have courage Joshua 31:6

depart from evil, do good, seek peace and pursue it.

Psalm 34:15

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Here are the lyrics to the song by Rabbi Menachem Creditor:

“Olam chesed yibaneh עולם חסד יבנה

I will build this world from love... yai dai dai

And you must build this world from love... yai dai dai

And if we build this world from love... yai dai dai

Then G-d will build this world from love... yai dai dai “

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The candle was lit by Norman Schueler OAM. Period of silence and placing of candle.

Mahboobeh Aryanpad from the Baha’i Community read a brief statement and shared a short Baha’i prayer for peace.

Australian Bahá’í Office of External Affairs Statement on the Christchurch attack:

The Australian Bahá’í Community is grieved and saddened beyond words by the horrific events that took place yesterday in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

We express our deep condolences to the victims, their families and loved ones. We pray for the healing and solace of the survivors and all those affected by these appalling acts.

We condemn unreservedly the killing of the innocent, and the violation of places of worship where all should be free to pray in peace and safety.

At this time we reach out to our Muslim brothers and sisters, knowing that you are particularly hurting. We stand in solidarity with you, with people of faith, and with all Australians who aspire towards a more united, peaceful, and loving community based on mutual understanding and recognition of our common humanity.

We will continue our efforts to work together towards the establishment of a peaceful and harmonious civilisation which values the collective security and wellbeing of all its members.

- Statement issued on behalf of the Australian Bahá’í Community, 16 March 2019

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Baha’i Prayer for Peace from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (son of Bahu’a’ulla):

O Thou kind Lord! Thou hast created all humanity from the same stock. Thou hast decreed that all shall belong to the same household. In Thy Holy Presence they are all Thy servants, and all mankind are sheltered beneath Thy Tabernacle; all have gathered together at Thy Table of Bounty; all are illumined through the light of Thy Providence.

O God! Thou art kind to all, Thou hast provided for all, dost shelter all, conferrest life upon all. Thou hast endowed each and all with talents and faculties, and all are submerged in the Ocean of Thy Mercy.

O Thou kind Lord! Unite all. Let the religions agree and make the nations one, so that they may see each other as one family and the whole earth as one home. May they all live together in perfect harmony.

O God! Raise aloft the banner of the oneness of mankind.

O God! Establish the Most Great Peace.

Cement Thou, O God, the hearts together.

O Thou kind Father, God! Gladden our hearts through the fragrance of Thy love. Brighten our eyes through the Light of Thy Guidance. Delight our ears with the melody of Thy Word, and shelter us all in the Stronghold of Thy Providence.

Thou art the Mighty and Powerful, Thou art the Forgiving and Thou art the One Who overlooketh the shortcomings of all mankind.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

The candle was lit by Navid Nikooi Period of silence and placing of candle

Dr Dilip Chirmuley, a priest of the Adelaide Hindu Community shared a short reflection and then recited peace hymns from the Hindu Scriptures, with English translation provided below.

Namaste Dear Friends, we are gathered here in front of this excellent painting of Lord Ganesha who is benevolently looking at us. The Hindu Community of Adelaide is dismayed by the horrific shooting incident at two mosques in Christchurch on 14 March resulting in loss of 50 innocent lives. We are appalled that this despicable act took place at a place of worship. We deeply feel for those who have lost their loved ones and pray for a quick recovery of those injured.

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2000 year old Hindu scriptures called the Upanishads follow Advaita philosophy. Advaita meaning ‘not two’. This philosophy says that the true self, Atman, is the same as the highest metaphysical Reality ( Brahman). Brahman is not Brahma or Vishnu or Shiva or the Gauri or Laxmi or Sarasvati who are part of Brahman. Simply said it means that God is in everything and our soul or Atman i.e. life force is a part of Brahman. Mandukya Upanishad says अय आ.मा ��म meaning this soul is divine. Thus, though outwardly we may look different but at our core we are all part of the Divine and are connected to each other. That is why when someone passes away, we become sad and feel empathy for those left behind to mourn the loss. This idea is also expressed succinctly in the well-known poem by John Donne: No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. Each man’s death diminishes me For I am involved in mankind. Aren’t these words true? We are all involved in mankind and we feel diminished by the deaths of these worshippers whom we do not know yet their deaths have touched us deeply from far away. Hinduism gives ten virtues which every Hindu should strive for of these two are relevant here. They are, अ�हसा AHIMSA Nonviolence and अ� ोध AKRODHA Freedom from anger.

A verse in the centuries-old Indian epic Mahabharata says अ�हसा परमो धम�: सव��ाणभताम �मत: meaning Truly the highest virtue of man is sparing lives of others. Mahatma Gandhi always promoted and personally followed Ahimsa अ�हसा and Akrodha अ� ोध . If we desire and want peace and harmony to prevail in the world, we must teach our children to follow these two in their life. Now I will recite the peace hymns from Hindu scriptures: ओ आ नो भ�ा: � तवो य�त �व�वत: Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides. ओ दवाना भ�ा-सम�त��जयाताम दवाना र�तर�भ नो �नवत�ता दवाना स�यमपस�दमा वय दवा न आय: ��तर�त जीवस May the auspicious favour of the Lord be ours and may his bounty descend on us. We have sought his friendship so he may extend our life. ओ सव�षा �वि�तभ�वत सव�षा शाि�तभ�वत सव�षा पण� भवत सव�षा मगल भवत Auspiciousness be unto all, peace be unto all, fullness be unto all, prosperity be unto all. ओ सव� भव�त स�खन: सव� स�त �नरामया: सव� भ�ा�ण प�य�त मा कि�चददख:भागभवत

May all be happy, may all be free from hardships, may all look for good into others and may no one suffer from sorrow. मा �व��वशावह May we never be enemies. ओ शाि�तः शाि�तः शाि�तः O Lord let there be peace always.

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The candle was lit by Kalindi Chirmuley. Period of silence and placing of candle

Fr Philoppos Boghdadi, Priest of the parish of St Mary and Anba Bishoy of the Coptic Orthodox Church shared deep condolences and prayers from the Adelaide Coptic Community.

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We together, are here to remember and grive for our brothers and sisters in Christchurch. Let us then remind ourselves that the most important and gracious gift we have been granted - and that is, to love one another.

For Perfect Love casts out all fear.

Love for ourselves, love for you - because ourselves, we search for ourselves in our lives. We search for God and do not find him.

But then I have searched for my brother and found myself - and I have found God.

What does this mean? That we can only be human, together. We can only be human together. To know how we may comfort. May God comfort the hearts, the whole country, the loved ones, the church and priests. You are in our thoughts and hearts and prayers.

This small prayer that I’d like to share with you is made of very simple words:

Our Father. Our Father.

God is the Father of All. And all of us in Christ, say “Our Father.”

When we pray, and we call for help to pray in our loneliness and struggle with God. For human beings, the remedy is the love and the good we hold in our hearts. We heal then from our selfishness and our doubts.

That is why we do not call him “My God” but “Our God”.

May God accept our prayers when we urge him to heal us from our selfishness by together saying: “Our Father ... Our Father.”

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The candle was lit by a community member. Period of silence and placing of candle

Song: Prayer of St Francis Make me a channel of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow your love.

Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord, and where there’s doubt true faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace. Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope. Where there is darkness, only light, and where there’s sadness ever joy.

O Master, grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

in giving of ourselves that we receive, and in dying that we are born to eternal life.

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Rev Frank Nelson, Dean of St Peter’s Anglican Cathedral, Adelaide gave a Recitation of a simple Collect from A New Zealand Prayer Book – He Karakia Mihinare O Aotearoa, then read aloud the Maori words of New Zealand’s national anthem

O God of many names, lover of all peoples;

we pray for peace in our hearts and homes, in our nations and our world;

the peace of your will, the peace of our need; through Christ, the prince of peace. Amen.

Collect from A New Zealand Prayer Book – He Karakia Mihinare O Aotearoa

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New Zealand National Anthem in Maori: E Ihowā Atua, O ngā iwi mātou rā

Āta whakarangona Me aroha noa. Kia hua ko te pai. Kia tau tō atawhai

Manaakitia mai Aotearoa.

The candle was lit by Larraine Pincher. Period of silence and placing of candle

Respected Khalid Rasheed Gondal, Vice President Adelaide South, of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association shared their creed “Love for All – Hatred for None”, then recited a prayer.

Bismillahe war Rahman nir Raheem. Asalaamwalaikum - Peace be with you all.

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional custodians of this land on which this prayer vigil is taking place. I pay my respect to the Kaurna People, Elders past and present.

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Distinguished Guests and Members of our Community, I thank each and every one of your who have come here today to show your respect and love for humanity and the victims of Christchurch. I am humbled to share special prayers for the fallen victims. It is with heavy hearts we bear the burden of grief of our collective loss.

Together we come to beseech our Creator for Mercy, deliverance and hope and healing for our fallen.

Together we call upon our one God of all Humanity, who has many names, The Father, Parmeshwar, Bhagavan, WaheGuru, Jehova, Elohim and Allah.

Let us pray for the fallen, our most sincere prayer, Our Almighty God we beseech you to ease the suffering inflicted upon the innocent who have lost their lives, for their families and loved ones;

Oh Allah we pray for the healing of our communities, the beautiful nation of New Zealand and all its people. Oh Allah give us hope in this time of grief; Let our hearts be united in love, love for all, hatred for none.

Oh Lord of the Heavens and The earth grant us all firm resolve to strive harder to build bridges and serve humanity with love and promote peace in the world. Oh Allah, The answerer of our prayers, in you we put our trust and to you is our return.

We solemnly beseech you to accept our prayers if it be your Will, Amen.

Please now also join me together in silent prayer. Amen.

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The candle was lit by Saleem Shaukat (Secretary, Interfaith & Harmony) Period of silence.

Venerable Thunten Dondrub, from Buddha House, Centre for Advanced Buddhist Studies, led all in a short prayer and meditation on Equanimity.

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A Meditation for Empathy for All Beings

Although prayer plays an important part in Buddhist practice, meditation is more representative and in considering the terrible events of Christchurch, there is a meditation that I would like to share with you that I feel is extremely helpful and appropriate at this time, and which requires no commitment to any religious belief system to understand it.

It seems to me that the tragedy of Christchurch, and similar events in the past happened, and could happen in the future, because of the underlying malaise of believing in essential, significant, vital differences between ourselves and others, us and them, which we are all susceptible to, in some form or other, when the causes and conditions arise.

The meditation which helps to undermine that belief, is a meditation on developing empathy to all beings by seeing the basic, essential equality between ourselves and all others. Unfortunately there is no time to actually meditate, I will simply go through a condensed version of several essential points.

We begin by reflecting:

If we focus on the differences between ourself and others, we can find many differences of appearance, colour, ethnicity, race, behaviour, language, beliefs, religion, etc.

The more we do this, the more we create a sense of self & other and create a mental barrier that blocks empathy and instead that enables enables all our negative emotions to flourish- fear, aversion, resentment, anger, jealousy, pride, intolerance, hatred. These negative emotions harm us and lead us to harm others.

Then we reflect:

But when there is empathy, that comes from seeing “others” are the same rather than different, feelings of tolerance, compassion, kindness, etc can grow. These positive emotions are what bring real peace and benefit to ourselves, prevent us harming others and enable us to actually benefit others.

So, if we look deeper, beyond the obvious differences, is it not true that:

Despite the differences in appearance, behaviour, beliefs, is it not true that: every human being just wants to be happy ? Just like me?

Despite the differences in appearance, behaviour, beliefs, is it not true that: every human being doesn’t want suffering ? Just like me?

Despite the differences in appearance, behaviour, beliefs - every human being whatever their situation in life might be, is it not true that: they hold their life to be precious? Just like me?

This is what we should focus on.

In our daily life we can try to be mindful that whenever we see someone - especially a stranger - there are three intimate things we know about that person:

They just want to be happy! Just like me!

They don’t want suffering! Just like me!

They treasure their life as precious! Just like me!

How wonderful it would be if we myself and all beings could think like this

How wonderful it would be if myself and all beings could abide in equanimity free from attachment and aversion, holding some close and others distant.

How wonderful it would be if myself and all beings could have happiness and its causes.

How wonderful it would be if myself and all beings could be free of suffering and its causes.

How wonderful it would be if myself and all beings were never separated from freedom’s true joy.

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The candle was lit by Lyndy Abram Period of silence and placing of candle

Address to those gathered – Bishop Greg O’Kelly

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Last Sunday I was in another Cathedral much the same size as this one, and towards the end of the Mass, at the back of the Cathedral, I had thought what it must have been like to be there in Christchurch. We had a church full of prayer, as we have today, and suddenly there was an invasion. And how vulnerable those people were. And how vulnerable we all are, as survivors. And the longer I spent thinking of these people, the more I knew that the religious communities of South Australia wish to send our best to our Muslim Brothers and Sisters, and share our distress and horror at the murder of the Muslim people in the Christchurch Mosques.

That such an act could be perpetrated in the midst of a society so similar to our own, and so close to ourselves, indeed in any society is alarming and horrifying. Those victims were at prayer, as we are. They had come together in their weekly devotion to guard in adoration before the author of all Life and the Father of us all.

May the God of Compassion and Mercy welcome now his sons and daughters, murdered in His holy place.

May the love of God and Peace ‘overcome’ the trauma of the loss of loved ones in that community. We offer our prayers.

We extend our sympathy for our Muslim sisters and brothers, and we are aghast that people of faith are targeted in such a way and with such terrible motives.

For our brothers and sisters in New Zealand of the Muslim faith, please accept our heartfelt sympathy and our expression of distress that such good people, seeking to live a life of peace and justice, suffered such an atrocity at these hands.

May God grant us all the Grace of Healing.

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Ten years ago, I was in a combined religious service with Sheikh Suleiman in the Mosque in Christchurch and we recited together the Beatitudes of Jesus. Jesus is a religious figure esteemed by all traditions, including those here:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven;

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted;

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth;

Blessed are those who thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled/fulfilled?;

Blessed are the merciful for they shall find what they seek;

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God;

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall behold the children of God;

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for them is the Kingdom of Heaven;

Blessed are we, when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely in the name of righteousness. Rejoice and be brave for your reward is this strength. For in the same way they persecuted the Prophets who were before you.

Thanks to all those who organised this simple ceremony.

I thank all the religious leaders able to answer that invitation, and I notice many others in the congregation here too, representing other different religious communities in this state.

I thank Father Philip Marshall, for out of his rich heart came the idea of such an occasion.

God has brought a wind, I pray that the wind touches everybody. I invite you all to stand and to turn to each other and say “Peace be with you” and offer a sign of Peace. Greeting of peace

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New Zealand National Anthem

God of nations, at thy feet, in the bonds of love we meet. Hear our voices, we entreat, God defend our free land.

Guard Pacific’s triple star from the shafts of strife and war; make her praises heard afar. God defend New Zealand.

E Ihowā Atua, O ngā iwi mātou rā Āta whakarangona Me aroha noa.

Kia hua ko te pai. Kia tau tō atawhai Manaakitia mai Aotearoa.

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Conclusion of service - Prayer leaders process out of the cathedral.

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Thanks to all those who assisted in the preparation of this evening’s service, especially the hard-working staff in the Diocesan Events team and all the faith leaders who contributed.

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Photo Credits - BM Ben MacMahon; PR Philippa Rowland

Contact: Multifaith Association of SA Inc. PO Box 12005, Adelaide SA 5001 E: multifaithsa@gmail.com

M: 0429 828412 Web: www.multifaithsa.org.au FB www.facebook.com/themfasa