On Popes Malta visit, Hindus urge meeting with local non-Catholic clergy to discuss equality

Hindus have urged Catholic Archbishop of Malta to organize the meeting of leaders of various religions and denominations in Malta with Pope Benedict during his April visit so that they can share minority viewpoint and discuss issues of religious equality.

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI is visiting Malta on April 17-18 next to commemorate the 1,950th anniversary of St. Paul’s shipwreck on the island on his way to stand trial in Rome, which is said to have brought Christianity to the island. It will be third visit of a Pope to the island, who has reportedly been invited by President George Abela and Archbishop Monsignor Paul Cremona. Pope is also expected to shed light during this trip on handling of illegal immigrants from Africa who pass through Malta on way to Europe.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that as a dominating majority in Malta, Catholics and Pope had a moral responsibility to take care of minority brothers/sisters from different faith/denomination backgrounds.

Besides Catholic majority, Malta has minority communities of Protestants, Orthodox, other Christian denominations, Muslims, Hindus, Baha’is, Jews, Wiccans/Neo-Pagans, people with “no religion”, etc.

Zed, who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, also urged Malta to treat all religions and denominations equally in front of the law. Malta Criminal Code reportedly makes one liable to imprisonment up to six months for publicly vilifying “Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion”, while committing such act against “any cult tolerated by law” makes one liable to imprisonment only up to three months.

Rajan Zed further said that under the subject of “religion”, Malta should come up with a “comparative religion” class teaching basics of all major world religions, including the viewpoint of non-believers, in its public primary and secondary schools. According to Constitution of Malta (Chapter I, Article 2, Item 3): “Religious teaching of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Faith shall be provided in all State schools as part of compulsory education.”

Two silver coins will commemorate Pope’s visit to Malta besides release of a DVD and an official book. Maltese islands were first settled reportedly in 5,200 BCE. Few European countries have such concentrated architecture, history, and beaches in so small an area as Malta. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksha (liberation) is its ultimate goal.

-Sampurn Media