As we have reached the conclusion of our meeting, my feeling is that we have realized our objective: to listen to learn and to share. Archbishop Celata and all the collaborators of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, join me in thanking you- the protagonists of these days. We are deeply aware of the precious time and energy you have generously offered to our Dicastery and we want to thank you heartily for the quality of your participation.

      Our sentiments of gratitude also go to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Thailand, the Episcopal Commission for Inter-religious Dialogue of Thailand and the Archbishop of Bangkok for their warm hospitality and close collaboration. We are also grateful to the entire Staff of the Baan Phu Waan Centre for their dedicated service.

      Through the exchange of information and assessment, we have been made aware of the extraordinary capacity of the Catholic Church in Asia in building bridges and promoting understanding among people of different religious traditions. The documents which have been presented are the result of an intense preparation and they have been deeply appreciated by every one.

      Genuine respect towards all religions and the desire to promote mutual understanding across religious lines reflected in your presentations and in our fraternal conversations showed that we intend to go further. Let us remember what Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his encyclical Caritas in Veritate : "it is time for all the believers” to unite their efforts with those of all men and women of good will... so that these words of ours may effectively correspond to the divine plan.. : living as a family under the creator's watchful eyes”(57).

      I cannot make a list of all the new and interesting aspects of your presentations. We have been alerted, during this meeting, on the necessity of developing a more structured dialogue with the Sikhs as well as with the Jains. The drafting of a document on spirituality of dialogue also has been mentioned. I can assure you that the papers presented constitute for us a precious store-house of views that will be particularly useful for our work in the future.

      Amidst the complexity of Buddhism, a certain aggressiveness of Islam and the pretentions of the Hindutva ideology, we never ever under-evaluated the necessity of proclaiming Jesus Christ as the only Savior. It is obvious therefore, that we are convinced of the necessity of inter-religious dialogue which is a priority of the pastoral ministry of Pope Benedict XVI.

      Through the various stages of dialogue, Christians and non-Christians realize more and more the need to impart and to receive information, to give and to receive explanation, to ask questions to each other. It seems to me that in the context of Asian culture where some times one refrains from showing one's emotions and frustrations, we Christians who believe in a "GW with a human face... " (Spe salvi, 31) have to deepen our faith, to purify our attitudes, to clarify our language and to render our worship more and more credible.

      It seems to me that we have to meet a triple challenge: the challenge of identity: who are we, in whom do we believe; the challenge of difference: the follower of another religion is not necessarily my enemy; the challenge of plurality: God is mysteriously at work in each of His creature.

      Before I conclude, I would like to make a concrete proposal. It is obvious that not every one is convinced about the necessity ofinter-religious dialogue in our communities. They have apprehensions and mental blocks. So am wondering if it would not be convenient that a particular Sunday of the Liturgical year be dedicated to Inter-religious dialogue. I explain myself: In a given country, on that particular Sunday, the Episcopal Commission for Inter-religious dialogue could provide leaflets to all parishes with special prayers and indications for the homily on inter-religious dialogue in order to equip the pastors and worshippers for a better comprehension and better testimony so that they can commit themselves adequately to the two fold duty of proclaiming Jesus Christ and continuing of dialogue.

      Finally, I am sure that you share my gratefulness to God for these days of intense ecclesial communion, of brotherhood and loyalty to the person and the teachings of the Successor of Peter.

      Let us make the recommendation of Paul to Timothy resound in our hearts: "Be an example to all the believers in the way you speak and behave in your love and your faith and your purity. In this way you will save both yourself and those who listen to you" (4:15).