U.S. Sikhs come to Washington for third dialogue with Catholics

Published: 2007-10-02

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The conversation between U.S. Catholics and Sikhs continued in Washington Sept. 28-Oct. 1 as about a dozen members of each faith engaged in the third dialogue between the two denominations. It's a learning experience, said Kavneet Singh, 44, who was participating in his second dialogue. "It's a very high-level dialogue," he said, "to really get to know the core of the faith." From the dialogues the Sikh participants learn about what the two faiths have in common. "Both faiths are looking out for the welfare of mankind," Singh said in an interview with Catholic News Service. "We all look out for our brother." Both Sikhs and Catholics, he added, share the view that there is just one God. The concept of a single God would be seen by Sikhs as more expansive than the Abrahamic concept of God, according to Manohar Singh, 71, who was born in the Punjab region of India, considered the cradle of Sikhism. Manohar Singh -- no relation to Kavneet -- said Sikhs consider God to be "a mother, a father, brother, sister, even as a friend -- any kind of relationship that you have here" on earth.

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