From Exclusion to Encounter: Why Interreligious Dialogue Matters

Q: Archbishop J, why a Dicastery of Interreligious Dialogue?  

Many Catholics today take interreligious dialogue for granted. But it wasn’t always so. The Church’s commitment to dialogue with followers of other religions is one of the most significant and transformative developments of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). Rooted in the Council’s teaching and advanced by visionary leaders, it has shaped not only global Catholicism but also our local Church here in Trinidad and Tobago. This article traces that journey—from resistance to relationship—and invites us to rediscover this mission of peace and mutual respect.

A Vatican Initiative: The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue

The work of interreligious dialogue is a direct fruit of Vatican II. In 1964, even before the promulgation of the landmark declaration Nostra Aetate (1965), Pope Paul VI established the Secretariat for Non-Christians, marking the beginning of formal dialogue with other faiths. Over the decades, this Vatican body evolved in both name and stature.

In 1988, Pope John Paul II renamed it the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, recognising its growing role. Then in 2022, Pope Francis, as part of a comprehensive reform of the Roman Curia, gave it its current name: the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.

According to Praedicate Evangelium (2022), which governs the new structure of the Curia, the  Dicastery’s mission is:

“To ensure that dialogue with the followers of other religions takes place in an appropriate way, with an attitude of listening, esteem and respect… so that peace, freedom, social justice, the protection and safeguarding of creation, and spiritual and moral values may be promoted” (Art 148).

“Aware that interreligious dialogue takes place through action, theological exchange and spiritual experience, the Dicastery encourages a true search for God among all people” (Art 149 §1).

This vision affirms that interreligious dialogue is not mere diplomacy—it is a profound commitment to shared truth, mutual respect, and the promotion of the common good.

A Difficult History: Before the Council

To appreciate the radical shift Vatican II represented, we must understand the attitudes that preceded it. For centuries, many within the Church viewed non-Christians—and even non-Catholic Christians—as outsiders to be converted or avoided, not engaged.

A striking example comes from right here in Trinidad. In 1954, a prominent priest and leading figure in Catholic education addressed a group of third-form students at St Mary’s College. After a vivid and fear-inducing description of hell, he concluded:

“I know this is hard, but we must face the fact: anyone who is not a Christian is going to hell. And anyone who is a Christian but not Catholic is also going to hell.”

This rigid view was echoed in the 1960 Lenten pastoral letter of Archbishop Count Finbar Ryan:

“Pope John XXIII… in announcing his intention to call a General Council of the Church, with the special purpose of unifying all Christians, is but the latest of the successors of Peter to call the world’s attention to these eternal issues of Heaven and Hell. His ardent desire… is to bring the wandering sheep into the ‘One Fold’: the Catholic Church.”

For Archbishop Ryan, interreligious dialogue was unthinkable. It clashed with a Catholic worldview shaped by a defensive posture toward the outside world.

Vatican II’s Teaching: A New Pathway

The Second Vatican Council introduced a dramatic change in tone and teaching. Lumen Gentium (1964) reaffirmed that Jesus Christ is the one and only Saviour, and that the Church is the ordinary means of salvation. However, it also opened a door:

“Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, but who seek God with a sincere heart… may achieve eternal salvation” (Lumen Gentium, 16).

Nostra Aetate (1965), the Council’s declaration on non-Christian religions, goes even further:

“The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions… She regards with sincere reverence those ways of life and teachings which… often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men.”

“…She proclaims, and must ever proclaim, Christ ‘the way, the truth, and the life’ (Jn 14:6),” (Nostra Aetate 2).

This was a bold statement. It affirmed that truth and holiness exist in other religions and that we, as Catholics, must recognise and honour them. Dialogue begins not with debate, but with shared reverence for the truth and beauty of God.

A Theology of Openness

One of Vatican II’s most significant formulations is found in Lumen Gentium 8:

“This Church [of Christ], constituted and organised in the world as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church… although many elements of sanctification and truth are found outside its visible structure.”

This theological nuance—that the Church of Christ “subsists in” rather than “is” the Catholic Church—makes room for the presence of grace and truth in other communities and traditions. It creates a foundation for authentic dialogue—not from superiority, but from shared human dignity and the common search for God.

Reception in Trinidad: From Resistance to Renewal

Unfortunately, in Trinidad, the Council’s teaching on interreligious dialogue was initially poorly received. Most clergy continued to hold the narrow views inherited from Archbishop Ryan’s generation. In 1965, Fr Francis Freisen, then Dean of Theology at the Seminary of St John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs, wrote a detailed letter to Archbishop Ryan urging openness to ecumenical dialogue and quoting  Vatican II extensively. His appeal was rejected.

Seminary students were introduced to the new theology of the Council, but the laity—steeped in devotional Catholicism and a siege mentality—were given no theological tools to process the change.

That began to shift in 1968, when Fr Anthony Pantin CSSp was appointed Archbishop of Port of Spain—the first local priest to hold the role. Known for his intellect, compassion, and deep connection with people, Archbishop Pantin brought the Council’s vision to life.

Soon after his appointment, he founded, in conjunction with other religious leaders, the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO), which met regularly at his official residence. Its members included representatives of Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities. His support gave this body both credibility and continuity, making it a trusted moral voice in national life. Here in Trinidad, the Council’s vision was not just received—it was lived.

A Contemporary Expression: Fasting Together

In 2022, Lent and Ramadan overlapped. We approached the Anjuman Sunnat ul Jamaat Association (ASJA) Muslim community to propose a shared day of fasting—they agreed. Then the Hindus called, saying they too were fasting that day for a celebration. The Baha’is and the Spiritual Baptists followed. We were all fasting—together.

The Vicar General and I went to break fast with the ASJA in Charlieville, hosted by Imam Clyde Pridham-Ali and ASJA President Imam Zainool Sarafat. We ate, laughed, and had deep conversations about faith, culture, and the nation. It was a moment of grace, rooted in the vision of Vatican II.

A Living Mission

Today, the IRO continues as the official body for interfaith dialogue in Trinidad and Tobago with regular meetings. However, the Heads of religions also meet occasionally to discuss matters of national concern—Covid-19, education, disaster response, and social justice. The Church’s commitment to interreligious dialogue, once unimaginable, is now a vital expression of her mission in the world.

Key Message:

Interreligious dialogue in Trinidad was once unthinkable due to the exclusivist Catholicism we inherited. Vatican II and the courageous leadership of Archbishop Pantin changed that forever.

Action Step:

Enter into dialogue with someone of another religion in your circle—family, neighbour, or friend. Ask about their practices and share your own. Begin a relationship built on mutual respect and the shared search for God.

Scripture for Reflection:

John 10:14–16