The Cardinal has said that the Diwali festival offers people from different religious traditions a joyful occasion to come together in a spirit of friendship and collaboration to reflect on the common origin and destiny shared by all and to engage in constructive dialogue in order to address the many religious and social questions now facing the world.

The message further said that Christians and Hindus, meeting in a spirit of friendly and sincere respect to dialogue, must seek to respond to the great challenges now facing humanity. The Cardinal said it was necessary to become aware of ``our shared responsibilities in this world so that together we may embark upon the new millennium in a way that provides greater hope for the coming generations.''