Active Interfaith in Cheltenham
25 March 2009
A Gloucestershire parish priest is playing an important role in bringing communities together. Father Peter Slocombe of St Nicholas in Winchcombe is the founding editor of the Cheltenham Interfaith Newsletter.
Father Peter told cliftondiocese.com: “Cheltenham Interfaith is a new group, launched by Canon Roger Symon who is a former Canon of Canterbury and brings together a number of Catholics and other Christians together with people of other faiths to promote understanding between faith communities.
“I’ve long been interested in Interfaith and realise increasingly that living in a global village, as we do, we should not stand apart from the challenge to build bridges and find common ground. So I am a committee member and accepted the offer to edit and produce the Cheltenham Interfaith newsletter.
“You might think that a major city would be the natural place for interfaith encounter but in the provincial areas such as Gloucestershire and Cheltenham there is plenty of scope and relations can often be more personal and spontaneous. We try to put together a mixed and varied programme that includes important lectures, meals and cooking, and opportunity to experience and learn about the faith and practice of different religions, including Buddhist meditation and Sikh worship.
“Last year several mosques invited us to visit. This summer we have a workshop and opportunity for Christian-Muslim dialogue led by a noted Islamic scholar and a former Methodist District Chairman. Whilst recently the Principal of Heythrop College Father John McDade SJ drew a good response. There is something for everyone in the programme. I hope what we do may encourage others to engage in Interfaith, especially in our diocese.”
Father Robert King is the Clifton Diocese Interfaith Officer and is well-known in the Catholic community in the UK for his active engagement with other faiths. Father Robert regularly personally delivers Vatican messages of goodwill issued for other faiths festivals and celebrations. He also visits deaneries and parishes around our diocese to talk about his work. Father Robert welcomed the news of the Cheltenham Interfaith Newsletter.
Father Robert told cliftondiocese.com: “The Cheltenham Interfaith Newsletter is a great innovation. Not only does it celebrate the good work going on in Cheltenham it communicates a message of hope. Our communities are increasing diverse in their make up and dialogue about faith and culture is essential for understanding diversity as a positive enrichment rather than a threat.”
You can download the Cheltenham Interfaith Newsletter in our multimedia panel on the right. Father Peter will be making future editions available through cliftondiocese.com.
A Gloucestershire parish priest is playing an important role in bringing communities together. Father Peter Slocombe of St Nicholas in Winchcombe is the founding editor of the Cheltenham Interfaith Newsletter.
Father Peter told cliftondiocese.com: “Cheltenham Interfaith is a new group, launched by Canon Roger Symon who is a former Canon of Canterbury and brings together a number of Catholics and other Christians together with people of other faiths to promote understanding between faith communities.
“I’ve long been interested in Interfaith and realise increasingly that living in a global village, as we do, we should not stand apart from the challenge to build bridges and find common ground. So I am a committee member and accepted the offer to edit and produce the Cheltenham Interfaith newsletter.
“You might think that a major city would be the natural place for interfaith encounter but in the provincial areas such as Gloucestershire and Cheltenham there is plenty of scope and relations can often be more personal and spontaneous. We try to put together a mixed and varied programme that includes important lectures, meals and cooking, and opportunity to experience and learn about the faith and practice of different religions, including Buddhist meditation and Sikh worship.
“Last year several mosques invited us to visit. This summer we have a workshop and opportunity for Christian-Muslim dialogue led by a noted Islamic scholar and a former Methodist District Chairman. Whilst recently the Principal of Heythrop College Father John McDade SJ drew a good response. There is something for everyone in the programme. I hope what we do may encourage others to engage in Interfaith, especially in our diocese.”
Father Robert King is the Clifton Diocese Interfaith Officer and is well-known in the Catholic community in the UK for his active engagement with other faiths. Father Robert regularly personally delivers Vatican messages of goodwill issued for other faiths festivals and celebrations. He also visits deaneries and parishes around our diocese to talk about his work. Father Robert welcomed the news of the Cheltenham Interfaith Newsletter.
Father Robert told cliftondiocese.com: “The Cheltenham Interfaith Newsletter is a great innovation. Not only does it celebrate the good work going on in Cheltenham it communicates a message of hope. Our communities are increasing diverse in their make up and dialogue about faith and culture is essential for understanding diversity as a positive enrichment rather than a threat.”
You can download the Cheltenham Interfaith Newsletter in our multimedia panel on the right. Father Peter will be making future editions available through cliftondiocese.com.
Multimedia
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