Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Manila (Agenzia Fides) - “Openness to the light and will of God”: this is the theme for 2008 for “Sisilah,” a movement that promotes dialogue, and the prayer communities of the “Harmony Chain,” an interdenominational prayer group that brings together the spiritual paths of communities across the Philippines and in the rest of the world.
The movement recently opened a new “harmony community” in Manila, at Saint Anthony Parochial School, where a group of about 40 people meet regularly in order to pray for peace, in union with many other peoples and nations.
On the island of Mindanao, as well, the effort in creating an awareness for dialogue and reconciliation is making progress. During an annual meeting of members of the “Apostolate of Prayer,” from five of Mindanao’s dioceses, the Harmony Chain initiative was presented to the 800 participants, who are now committed to promoting the spirit in their own parishes.
“It is not simply a prayer of devotion; this carries with it a spirit of dialogue and a commitment to letting oneself be transformed by the gift of interior peace. It will bring peace to our own families, too, in our own environments,” the prayer’s promoters say.
The schools and universities have been among the most receptive areas in its promotion. Students in the high school and in the University of Buug, in Mindanao, sang the “Harmony Prayer” during the official ceremony held in honor of the city’s “Founding Day.” The leaders and professors of the institutions, the majority being Muslims, had the students learn the song by heart. This prayer now forms part of the educational program for peace in the two institutions.
The Sisilah Center will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2009. It works in promotion of dialogue and peace in the Philippines, carrying out services geared toward children and adolescents, in order to eradicate the seeds of mistrust and instill a desire for harmony in the new generations. A new “Sisilah Center” has recently been opened on the island of Jolo.
“Sisilah” is a term taken from the the sufi (Muslim mystics), that means “chain” or “link,” that links man to God. The spirituality of the Sisilah movement has become universal and has taken root in many parts of the world, through the Harmony Chain initiative. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 28/4/2008; righe 32, parole 379)
