Peace-maker par excellence, Bishop Vincent Boi-Nai SVD, will speak at three different events in Perth next week, sharing his hands-on knowledge of peace building and the state of interreligious dialogue in Ghana.
Bishop Vincent has been active for more than a decade in conflict resolution among rival tribal groups in his predominantly Muslim Diocese of Yendi, making him one of the region’s foremost exponents of inter-faith dialogue and collaboration.
The bishop will be the keynote speaker at the October 30 Mission Matters forum, convened jointly by Catholic Mission and the Archdiocesan Catholic Social Justice Council, where he will speak to the topic, “Being Instruments of Peace through Inter-Faith Dialogue”.
A similar partnership between Catholic Mission and the University of Notre Dame will see Bishop Vincent speak at the university’s Conversations on Tap forum on October 31, presenting “Breaking Bread with the Dead: the Communion of Saints and what it offers Inter-Faith Dialogue”, offering a unique segue into the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls (November 1 and 2).
Perth’s Catholic Mission Director, Francis Leong, said Bishop Vincent’s work was emblematic of the Church as being an active player in peace building, rather than a passive victim.
“It is a powerful image to reflect on in this Year of Grace – the hand of grace reaching out to heal,” Mr Leong said.
“And in the Year of Faith, as Pope Benedict said in his World Mission message, the key component of evangelisation is to always be reaching out in an open way.”
Mr Leong reported that the genial bishop had also been dubbed the “Lion King” bishop during recent travels, because of his convivial affect on children.
Catholic Mission has also asked the bishop to speak to Catholic agency staff at an inter-agency forum on the topic, “Building Bridges in the formation and empowerment of women and youth in the Year of Faith” at the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Highgate on the afternoon of October 30.
Bishop Vincent will also visit staff and students at a number of Catholic schools during his stay, bringing a message of missionary solidarity from the student leaders of various Catholic schools in the Yendi Diocese.
For more information on the Mission Matters October 30 event, contact Francis Leong at 9422 7933 or at cm@perthcatholic.org.au. For more information or to RSVP for the October 31 UNDA event, contact 9433 0580 or stacie.oneill@nd.edu.au.