Our Aims

• To respond to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council and the Popes with regard to interfaith dialogue.
• To promote greater understanding, co-operation and respect between Christians and people of other faiths and thus combat discrimination at all levels.
• To help Christians deepen their own faith by promoting greater awareness of other faiths through dialogue, prayer and action.

What is Westminster Interfaith?

It is the agency of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster engaged in the field of dialogue with people of other faiths. On our history page About WIF you can find out about the succession of directors who have worked in promoting awareness and understanding at the levels of both daily life and academic enquiry over the past three decades, and The Team page brings this record up to date.

For many people Westminster Interfaith is known principally for organising the annual Multifaith Pilgrimage for Peace. We have reports of the most recent of these, at Pilgrimage 2008 and Pilgrimage 2009.

There are still some copies of 2010 Pilgrimage Booklet (and some earlier ones) available at £3.00 including postage. Contact Jon Dal Din at the office address on this page.

On the Events page you will also find information we have received about forthcoming events.

The July 2010 issue of our Newsletter is now available
Summary Page

25th Annual Multifaith Pilgrimage for Peace
Saturday 5th June 2010

This year's pilgrimage brought together a greater number of pilgrims than on previous occasions.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols welcomed all to the 9.00am Mass at Westminster Cathedral and spoke encouragingly about the progress of relations between people of faith. Pilgrims prayed silently at the tomb of Cardinal Basil Hume who had adopted Westminster Interfaith as an agency of the diocese and then gathered around Archbishop Vincent on the piazza before heading off to the bus station en route for West London Synagogue.

The synagogue adapted its usual strict security measures in order to facilitate the admittance of such a large group and welcomed us warmly. We were permitted to attend the Shabbat service and to witness the Bar-Mitzvah ceremony of a young boy who gave moving testimony to his faith, and the Baby Blessing of two infant girls. Many people commented on the beauty of the choral music incorporated in the service.

After the service, the Stern Hall of the Synagogue was made available so that our friends from Sachkhand Nanak Dham International once again could provide a much appreciated lunch to round about 300 people.

As it happened there were two large public demonstrations in London that day which impacted on our proposed journey from Marble Arch to Battersea Park as the bus we planned to take turned back before reaching us! Nevertheless, somewhat later than planned everyone made it to the Peace Pagoda but the visit htere had to be rather truncated because of the delay. Bhikku Nagase was very delayed and thus disappointed in his hope of being there to welcome people as they arrived.

The visit to the Fazl Mosque was voted a great success both in the warmth and generosity of the hospitality and the thought that had gone into the programme. The pilgrims were able as an act of solidarity to sign the book of condolence for the relatives of those recently killed in the attack on an Ahmadiyya mosque in Pakistan.

A warm welcome at the South London Sikh Gurdwara once more gave witness to the Sikh creed of hospitality as well as devotion in the prayer hall.

The 25th annual pilgrimage day ended fittingly at the grave of Brother Daniel Faivre whose inspiration at the Battersea Peace Pagoda in 1985 started what some people, with some justification, are now calling 'a movement'. It is not only our annual Multifaith Pilgrimage for Peace, but many other 'Peace Walks' and similar activities that now happen countrywide that trace their beginning to Brother Daniel's first two-day event. Some of those gathered round his grave had been at a large number of the 25 pilgrimages while some were at their first, all gave thanks in the words of scriptures from the world religions around the simple stone marking the founder's resting place.

There are still some copies of the pilgrimage booklet with information about each of the venues at £3.00 including postage.
Apply to Jon at the office address in the right-hand column on this page.

Inter Faith Week
21st – 27th November, 2010

We'd like to have news about what your group is planning for Inter Faith Week 2010 – or any other news you want to share with us.

A print edition of Westminster Interfaith Newsletter is published five times a year and is available by subscription, currently £15.00 per calendar year from :-
Westminster Interfaith,
Westminster House,
Watford Way,
Hendon,
NW4 4TY.

Cheques should be made payable to 'Westminster Interfaith'.

Some recent on-line back numbers are available at Newsletter on the menu at top or bottom of this page.

For recent Vatican information: Vatican Information Service