JCMA SUPER SUNDAY SEMINAR – SORRY IS THE HARDEST WORD

JCMA SUPER SUNDAY SEMINAR

SORRY IS THE HARDEST WORD

Forgiveness and Repentance

Sunday afternoon and evening, 18th August 2013, from 2 to 9 pm

Registration opens at 1.30 pm

Mary MacKillop Hall, 227 Blair St., Dallas

Holy Child Primary School, (Melway ref Map 6 K4 or Map 7 A4)

Afternoon tea and a light evening meal (halal and vegetarian food) will be provided.

Kosher food is available if requested at time of booking

Fee $35

Students/pensioners/unemployed $25

Our preferred booking method: on-line via www.trybooking.com/CFGA

Or email seminar@jcma.org.au to indicate your acceptance of this invitation and pay cash at the door.

Enquiries: JCMA 9287 5590, or seminar@jcma.org.au

“I hope the wider JCMA community will give warm support to this event,” said Dr Paul Gardner AM, the chair of the organising committee. “Sorrow for doing wrong, seeking forgiveness and repentance for one’s errors are common concepts in all our faiths. Yet, for centuries, despite our common ancestry, our three faiths have a long history of difficult relations with each other. Occasionally it’s been violent, more frequently the difficulties are expressed more subtly. Fortunately in recent times has there been an attempt by some to draw closer to each other in an atmosphere of mutual respect.”

The seminar will be structured around three sessions. Context and History will examine the history of the relations among the three faiths. Faith approaches will discuss the sacred texts of our traditions, and how liturgy and ritual aim at encouraging us towards forgiveness, reconciliation and peace-making. Q&A will provide an opportunity for personal engagement with presenters by writing a question which could be asked of the panel.

Presenters and moderators at the various sessions will include (among several others) Imam Riad Galil OAM (president of JCMA and imam at the Heidelberg Mosque), Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black (rabbi at the Leo Baeck Centre and founder of JCMA) and Rev Dr John Dupuche (parish priest and Chair of the Catholic Interfaith Committee).

“When one looks at newspapers and TV,” said Dr Gardner, “it’s easy to find the bad news about interfaith relations and intra-faith relations. People of one faith community kill members of another. Members of one sect are hostile to members of another sect. Sorrow, forgiveness, repentance, reconciliation, respect, seem to be forgotten ideas. The Australian story of interfaith relations is fortunately a happier story. JCMA provides a model, and events like this seminar allow us to demonstrate to the wider world that we can come together and talk in a harmonious and friendly environment.”