Source: Indian Catholic
http://www.theindiancatholic.com/newsread.asp?nid=5418
HONG KONG (UCAN) -- Leaders of various religions in Hong Kong have become more aware of the importance of caring for the dying among their followers.
While the younger generation becomes increasingly materialistic, "Hong Kong is facing an aging society," Father Edward Chau King-fun told UCA News. A lack of concern for others, he explained, has resulted in young people not knowing how to respond to a dying person.
According to the priest, care for the dying involves not just the physical needs of the dying person, but also his or her moral values. Highlighting the importance of this ministry, he said patients facing the end of their lives "may feel dreadful," but we "can give them peace of mind" if we "meet their spiritual needs" at that crucial time.
Every religion currently provides such care separately, according to its own religious values, Father Chau observed, but that may be changing. The leaders of the Colloquium of the Six Religious Leaders of Hong Kong recently met to exchange their views on the issue, and "Religious Belief and End-of-Life Care" became the topic of their annual dialogue in early December.
The Interreligious Dialogue Commission of Hong Kong Catholic diocese hosted the Dec. 2 dialogue that brought together about 100 followers of Buddhism, Catholicism, Confucianism, Islam, Protestantism and Taoism, as well as people who profess no religious affiliation but work in religious institutions.