Monument Erected by Jesuits (Barf Alert)

From the Diocese of Frostbite Falls Sault Ste. Marie:
The monument is sponsored by Les Jésuites de Sudbury.

'' No service of faith without promotion of justice. No promotion of justice without dialogue with other traditions.'' (34th General Congregation 1995, Society of Jesus)

''From the beginning to the end WORKING TOGETHER FOR PEACE'' ALPHA AND OMEGA

Peace represented by a dove, a Christian Cross and the symbols in each of the letters A(lpha) and O(mega) represents the 12 current religions.

You can visit the monument of peace on the right hand side of the alter where Mass is celebrated on the Grotto Mountain.

“Promotion of justice” usually means promotion of socialist and Marxist economic policies. “Dialogue with other traditions” usually means syncretism – as someone once said, “Buddhism and Christianity have a lot in common, especially Buddhism.”

I have always wondered – if you don’t actually believe Christianity is true – why on earth would you possibly want to be a priest of it? Most of the answers I come up with are pretty bad.

I confess I can’t identify half the religious symbols that pervert adorn the Alpha and Omega. The one on the left side of the Alpha that looks sort of like a woman with a hand going up her dress is for Jainism (minus the ancient swastika – too politically incorrect, I imagine). The one above it that looks Arabic is actually Hindu. The Buddhist, Taoist, Jewish, and Moslem symbols are obvious. The rest? If you know, please comment.

I will never comprehend the worldview that says the different religions are all roads that lead to the same destination. If Jesus is Who we say He is, then he is not only “the way, the truth, and the life;” He is also the destination itself. To say you can reach God without Jesus is like saying you can get to an Astros home game without going to Houston. It’s not just a matter of separate pathways. If you wind up at the game, you’re by definition in Houston. Buddhist enlightenment is not at all the same thing as the Christian goal of eternal individual existence in the presence of the Almighty. The same holds for the other religions. The reason they are different religions is that they are indeed different, and to embrace syncretism removes you from Christianity and makes you Hindu or Buddhist.