Above: Sr Kathleen Geaney with Buddhist Nuns
My most unexpected friendship in religious life was both a personal and communal friendship. It was friendship between our community of the Missionary Sisters of St Columban and a community of Buddhist nuns. It began when our small community moved into Mandalay Myanmar. Our hope was to be involved in Interfaith Dialogue- listening and learning from the other faith communities in the area and sharing our own lives of faith, hope and love. Our desire in fact was for friendship across divides.
The predominant faith in the area is Buddhism so when we talked of our interest with a Catholic friend she bundled ius into an open backed van and off we went to Sagaing – a town full of Buddhist monasteries, universities and pagodas. Our first stop was a monastery of Buddhist nuns. Again our desire to listen, learn and share was expressed. Quickly there were gestures of touching the heart communicating to us that this was a desire they understood and shared. Another climb into the back of the truck ensued and off we went over rough terrain to visit their Sayadaw (Abbot) to ask if we could visit and sometimes stay for awhile with the nuns. The request was granted and so began a beautiful and mutually enriching friendship that continues to this day.
Srs Theresa Kim, Kathleen Geaney and Cris de Leon with Mandalay Interfaith Group
Quickly we discovered how much we have in common. Our lives of communal living, prayer and service to others were very similar. As time went by the Buddhist nuns would come and stay in our community, sharing our lives. Often at evening prayer we would pray the psalms and they would continue with their chanting. Then we would all sit in silent meditation, united in a place beyond words. We would have a similar experience when staying with them in their houses.
We met together for various feasts and celebrations and as time went on our circle widened to include friends from other faiths Muslims, Hindus, and others. Solidarity with our neighbours in suffering brought us together in an ever deeper friendship. In relatively peaceful times we worked together to establish educational opportunities for children. Times of political upheaval and armed conflict, a devastating earthquake lead us to work together in responding to the needs all around us.
Our friendship was not all work. We had outings together visiting famous Buddhist shrines and other places of interest in upper Myanmar. We had wonderful Christmas celebrations when we cebrated with the wider interfaith community.
For me I became particularly close to one of the Buddhist nuns who taught me that meditation, the deepest part of our friendship, was the time spent together in silence breathing in and out. Now I am back in Ireland but I know in my deepest self that the connection we had continues and is mutually enriching us on our different journeys.
Sr. Kathleen Geaney