Andrew Bennett鱿鱼视频app role as a diplomat, he said, has been to promote religious freedom openly as a central part of Canadian foreign policy, and 鈥渢o speak out as boldly as possible, to recognize the inherent dignity of each human being.鈥�
鈥淚 am called not only to see those being persecuted, but to see their persecutors,鈥� he told the conference, hosted by Catholic Christian Outreach, a Canadian university student movement.
Bennett became Canada鱿鱼视频app first Ambassador for Religious Freedom three years ago, but with the recent change in government the future of his position has not been determined. A teacher at Augustine College in Ottawa, where he is Professor of the History of Christianity, Bennett is also a sub deacon and cantor at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian-Catholic Shrine.
During a question and answer period he told his audience that religious freedom is more than 鈥渟imply the freedom to go to Mass on Sunday.鈥�
鈥淚t is about answering the existential question, 鈥榃ho am I?鈥� It鱿鱼视频app about discovering who we are in relationship to others.
鈥淚nterfaith dialogue requires you to be honest about what you believe. You are not being truthful if you do not say what you truly believe. And when you have the conversation with various religious communities, do it in a loving and open way, with charity, always with charity.鈥�
He said Christians in Canada have not gone out of their way to affirm their faith.
鈥淲e have not been speaking out,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want to ghettoize ourselves to feel safe. We need to take confidence in the witness of those who have come before us. We need to have confidence in who we are, not just in the private sphere, but in the public sphere. As Catholics, being baptized, we must engage the world in a sacramental way.
鈥淚f you can be open about your faith, that will draw others to you.鈥�
The theme of the five-day conference 鈥� Made for Greatness 鈥� was inspired by Pope Benedict鱿鱼视频app observation that 鈥淢an is made for greatness, but his heart is too small for the greatness which is intended, so it needs to be stretched.鈥�
The conference, which attracted participants from across Canada, received an inspirational address from John Stevens, the manager of pastoral life and new evangelization for the Archdiocese of Halifax.
鈥淕reatness means being pointed in the right direction,鈥� he told the students. 鈥淲e are God鱿鱼视频app handiwork, we are made by God, are we moving in the right direction? When you are not looking in the right direction, you miss out, no matter where you are now.鈥�
Stevens warned the crowd not to slip into spiritual paralysis by waiting for great things to happen.
鈥淪mall choices add up to great things,鈥� he said.
Montreal Archbishop Christian Lepine reminded the delegates that Montreal was founded in 1642 by young people who were on a mission much like theirs. He encouraged them to take inspiration from the conference and 鈥渢o spread Christianity all across Canada.鈥�
The RiseUp young adult movement started at the University of Saskatchewan 27 years ago when Andr茅 and Ang猫le Regnier began a charismatic group for Catholics. It has expanded to 13 universities across the country.
The 2016 conference will be held in Vancouver.