In September 1979, Cardinal Terence Cooke of New York hosted his Holiness the Dalia Lama on his first visit to the United States, on the sanctified ground of St. Patrick's Cathedral -- a sacred place cherished by millions of New Yorkers -- Catholics, Christians and non-Christians alike. And it was here that Catholics throughout the United States witnessed a unique and telling moment: a respected and revered Catholic leader and a much loved and widely recognized Buddhist Spiritual King encouraging Catholics and Buddhists to open to one another to, as I remember it, "go into one another's places of worship and learn from one another."
As a practicing Buddhist and former Catholic with a degree in Catholic Theology, I was delighted to witness such an event and hear such an invitation. Scholars and contemplatives from both Catholicism and Buddhism had been exploring one another's traditions for decades and it was refreshing to see such a dialogue open further to a wider congregation. I also had a personal stake at the time because these two men meeting in that Cathedral helped my mother and father grow more comfortable with my spiritual journey and encouraged them to graciously explore some of the profound insights Buddhism had offered to me.
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