The first contacts of the Focolare Movement with Hinduism were marked by a warm friendship, which lead to a sharing of life, dreams and ideals. The main protagonists of this friendship were Natalia Dallapiccola, who is one of the first witnesses to the beginnings of the Focolare in Trent; and Dr Aram, a Hindu who now stands among the presidents of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP), to which the Focolare also belongs, represented by Natalia.

Following the death of Dr Aram, the Shanti Ashram, together with representatives of different Gandhian groups in the State of Tamil Nadu, invited Chiara Lubich to India in January 2001, to receive the 2000 Defender of Peace Award. In the explanatory statement it is stated: Chiara was tireless in her role to spread seeds of peace and love among all, continually strengthening the fragile image of peace for the wellbeing and prosperity and spirituality of the world.” At the ceremony, which was attended by over 500 Hindus and members of other religions, Chiara spoke of her spiritual experience, highlighting common elements between the Gospel and the Hindu Scriptures.

The first contacts of the Focolare Movement with Hinduism were marked by a warm friendship, which lead to a sharing of life, dreams and ideals. The main protagonists of this friendship were Natalia Dallapiccola, who is one of the first witnesses to the beginnings of the Focolare in Trent; and Dr Aram, a Hindu who now stands among the presidents of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP), to which the Focolare also belongs, represented by Natalia.

Following the death of Dr Aram, the Shanti Ashram, together with representatives of different Gandhian groups in the State of Tamil Nadu, invited Chiara Lubich to India in January 2001, to receive the 2000 Defender of Peace Award. In the explanatory statement it is stated: Chiara was tireless in her role to spread seeds of peace and love among all, continually strengthening the fragile image of peace for the wellbeing and prosperity and spirituality of the world.” At the ceremony, which was attended by over 500 Hindus and members of other religions, Chiara spoke of her spiritual experience, highlighting common elements between the Gospel and the Hindu Scriptures.

“I came here today to see, to be silent as much as possible,” she wrote in his diary that day, “I have found above all the rules: tolerance, love! Perhaps there is a place for our dialogue.”

On this same occasion, Professor Kala Acharya, from the Somaiya Sanskriti Peetham Institute, was deeply impressed by Chiara. In a matter of days, she decided to organize a gathering at Somaiya College of Mumbai. Six-hundred persons attended. These events marked the beginning of a dialogue with Hinduism both in Mumbai and in Coimbatore.

A profound dialogue began with university professors in Mumbai. In order to continue along this path it was decided to hold an academic symposium. The first was held in 2002 in Rome with the title: “The Bhakti and Agape as a way of love toward God and neighbor.” This meeting was described by Professor Kala Acharya from Somaya College of Mumbay as: “a deep spiritual experience.”

In the name of this common journey, Chiara Lubich once again visited India in 2003 where she was asked by the Center for Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Indian Culture to talk about her specific vocation: the discovery of unity and of universal brotherhood. Here she spoke about one of the aspects of the art of loving discovered in the Gospel, “making yourself one with others” as the key to dialogue: “In the moment that we meet someone, we need to place our self on their level like a partner, whoever they may be. And this calls for detachment from everything, even from the wealth of our own religion. And at the same time we need to become empty within ourselves, in order to allow our brother or sister the freedom to express their thoughts, and for us to be able to understand them. This is such an important behavior, even indispensable, which has two effects: It helps us to enter into the world of our brother and sister, to know the language and culture, the faith, and so on. And then it predisposes our neighbor to listen. Then you pass to a “respectful proclamation” where – because of your loyalty to God and sincerity toward your neighbor, always respecting what the neighbor thinks – you can say what you think and believe about a particular topic, without imposing anything, without desiring to win anyone over to your own way of thinking.”

“This marks the beginning of a journey that will take us far,” commented Professor Dave, honorary president of the institution. “There is something in her words that goes to the very roots of human thought, the very roots of our santhana dharma, the universal religion.”

This experience of dialogue highlights what was said by John Paul II while he was in India: “Through dialogue we allow God to be present in our midst, because as each of us opens in dialogue, we also open to God. And the fruit is union among men and union of men with God.” (John Paul II, Discorso ai rappresentatni delle varie religioni dell’India, Madras, 5 February 1986.)”

The dialogue with Gandhian movements has characterized this experience from the beginning, and continues in Coimbatore where, each year since August 2001, roundtable discussions are held to examine and discuss spiritual and human aspects of the two outlooks: Gandhian and the spirituality of unity.

Related articles:

“Spiritual paths in Hinduism and in Christianity” – 2004

“God, man and cosmos” nella prospettiva cristiana ed indù – 2008