Fo Guang people attends Inter-Faith Prayer Ceremony

On the evening of 18th May, 4 BLIA members from the English sub-chapter accompanied Venerable Miaoyu to attend an Inter-Faith Prayer ceremony at St. Matthews Church in the CDB. This event was attended by over 100 community members of many different faiths. This ceremony is held to offer prayers and commemorations those that lost their lives during the Sri Lankan civil war, and all other unfortunate victims from conflicts everywhere.

The ceremony organiser Reverend Kumarasingham thanked everyone’s support and attendance, and then he recited prayers in order to wish for peace upon all the victims of the Sri Lankan civil war and conflicts around the world. Then representatives from Maori, Islam, Catholicism, Christianity and Hinduism went on stage to give their prayers. Finally Buddhism is represented by Fo Guang Shan North Island’s Venerable Miaoyu and BLIA members where they recited the “Medicine Buddha Mantra” and read “Prayers and wishes to eliminate disasters and calamities” by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, thus wishing to offer blessings to all victims of unfortunate circumstances. Then the church allowed all participants to light blessing candles on stage, thus “bringing hope from lights”.

Retired Green Party MP Keith Locke especially mentioned in appreciation toward contents within Fo Guang Shan’s “Prayers and wishes to eliminate disasters and calamities”, which could help to progress the goal of world peace. He also hopes that all religions can continue to work toward peace and promote more inter-faith activities.