austraLasia #1777
"There is no other way - we go to heaven or we go to hell, together".
MATI (MINDANAO): 4th March 2007 -- Father Ben (Benabaye) is the Rector of the tiny Salesian community on the Southern Philippines island of Mindanao, at Mati (recently renamed as Puhana City). Mindanao is the second largest island in the Philippines, with its Sulu Archipelago stretching virtually to the coast of Malaysia. Robert Pitong is a prominent Muslim Imam at Mati. There is little need to repeat the details here of five centuries worth of struggle between Christian and Muslim inhabitants of Mindanao, resulting in unspeakable acts of violence on both sides, even into recent times. Such a setting, however, makes what follows even more remarkable.
The Salesian Extraordinary Visitor to Mati, on 27th February to be precise, met for two hours with the local Muslim Imam, Robert 'Pitong', 78 years of age and the second highest ranking Imam on Mindanao.
Fr Ben and Fr Klement found Robert Pitong at home in his seashore village. In this area, the Muslims are mostly found along the coast and the Christians in the hinterland. Two hours of discussion with this prominent Imam revealed, in Fr Klement's words "a man of peace". He was struck by the Imam's opening comments on Christian-Muslim relations: "Co-existence is the only way. We go to heaven together and fighting will only bring us to hell together". Put that way, it makes the options clear!
In the Year 2000, there were simultaneous bombings at Mati Cathedral and the adjacent Mosque. The event spurred regional inter-religious gatherings of priests, pastors lumads (animist priests), and imams. Three years following the start of these meetings, young Muslims began to attend the Salesian camps, an act of acceptance on one part and welcome on the other which vastly improved a sense of mutual trust. Robert Pitong demonstrates his attitude of co-existence in very practical ways. He expresses interest in Catholics and foreigners who come into the ambit of his domain, wanting them to learn the culture. He reads the Bible to understand it and Christians better - in fact has three copies in different languages. He even helps with translation of the Bible into the local dialect. He has 'cleaned up' the beach area by chasing out easy profiteers who tried to set up kiosks on the pristine sands, in an effort to keep the local culture just as pristine.
Robert Pitong claims that his area is the safest in the country. His own home has no windows, indeed no doors and therefore no keys. He is a model of openness in more ways than one. At the end of Ramadam 2006 he celebrated by slaughtering two beasts, then invited in the four local parish priests (Fr Ben included) to celebrate with him! Robert Pitong argues for the local Madrasa, in this case a poor Muslim school which teachers youngsters Muslim traditions from the Koran, and adds a kind of catechism of down-to-earth traditions of eating, day-to-day customs. The Imam also sees the Madrasa as a preventative form of education which avoids the excesses of urban life, the 'town' influences of secularism or drug-taking.
Thus far the story - just a part of it - of Robert Pitong, Imam extraordinaire. But it is likewise a story of his close associates, the Salesians of Mati, and together they model a practical inter-religious dialogue which has obviously impressed the Visitor, and no doubt gives rise to similar admiration in the young for whom both Imam and Salesian community are showing deep educative concern.
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AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use BoscoWiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm A separate service entirely is called F/OSSERVATORE to help us keep abreast of trends in the digital world. To contact austraLasia by voice on Skype, the Skype name is austraLasia.
"There is no other way - we go to heaven or we go to hell, together".
MATI (MINDANAO): 4th March 2007 -- Father Ben (Benabaye) is the Rector of the tiny Salesian community on the Southern Philippines island of Mindanao, at Mati (recently renamed as Puhana City). Mindanao is the second largest island in the Philippines, with its Sulu Archipelago stretching virtually to the coast of Malaysia. Robert Pitong is a prominent Muslim Imam at Mati. There is little need to repeat the details here of five centuries worth of struggle between Christian and Muslim inhabitants of Mindanao, resulting in unspeakable acts of violence on both sides, even into recent times. Such a setting, however, makes what follows even more remarkable.
The Salesian Extraordinary Visitor to Mati, on 27th February to be precise, met for two hours with the local Muslim Imam, Robert 'Pitong', 78 years of age and the second highest ranking Imam on Mindanao.
Fr Ben and Fr Klement found Robert Pitong at home in his seashore village. In this area, the Muslims are mostly found along the coast and the Christians in the hinterland. Two hours of discussion with this prominent Imam revealed, in Fr Klement's words "a man of peace". He was struck by the Imam's opening comments on Christian-Muslim relations: "Co-existence is the only way. We go to heaven together and fighting will only bring us to hell together". Put that way, it makes the options clear!
In the Year 2000, there were simultaneous bombings at Mati Cathedral and the adjacent Mosque. The event spurred regional inter-religious gatherings of priests, pastors lumads (animist priests), and imams. Three years following the start of these meetings, young Muslims began to attend the Salesian camps, an act of acceptance on one part and welcome on the other which vastly improved a sense of mutual trust. Robert Pitong demonstrates his attitude of co-existence in very practical ways. He expresses interest in Catholics and foreigners who come into the ambit of his domain, wanting them to learn the culture. He reads the Bible to understand it and Christians better - in fact has three copies in different languages. He even helps with translation of the Bible into the local dialect. He has 'cleaned up' the beach area by chasing out easy profiteers who tried to set up kiosks on the pristine sands, in an effort to keep the local culture just as pristine.
Robert Pitong claims that his area is the safest in the country. His own home has no windows, indeed no doors and therefore no keys. He is a model of openness in more ways than one. At the end of Ramadam 2006 he celebrated by slaughtering two beasts, then invited in the four local parish priests (Fr Ben included) to celebrate with him! Robert Pitong argues for the local Madrasa, in this case a poor Muslim school which teachers youngsters Muslim traditions from the Koran, and adds a kind of catechism of down-to-earth traditions of eating, day-to-day customs. The Imam also sees the Madrasa as a preventative form of education which avoids the excesses of urban life, the 'town' influences of secularism or drug-taking.
Thus far the story - just a part of it - of Robert Pitong, Imam extraordinaire. But it is likewise a story of his close associates, the Salesians of Mati, and together they model a practical inter-religious dialogue which has obviously impressed the Visitor, and no doubt gives rise to similar admiration in the young for whom both Imam and Salesian community are showing deep educative concern.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use BoscoWiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm A separate service entirely is called F/OSSERVATORE to help us keep abreast of trends in the digital world. To contact austraLasia by voice on Skype, the Skype name is austraLasia.
