When the United Nations went to the negotiating table to work out a ceasefire between Israeli and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, we Sisters of Saint Benedict of Saint Mary Monastery decided to bring people together in a different way.

While I was watching the terrible bombings and saw the devastation and the people who were displaced, I thought to myself, “We must be peacemakers here in the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa.” As a member of the Board of Directors of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue, I knew that promoting dialogue on a local level was part of my mandate. The result was a Muslim-Christian Women’s Dialogue that drew about 60 people to my monastery for two sessions, one in late August, the other in early September.

To get the sessions started, two Muslim and two Christian women prepared brief presentations on prayer and spirituality as practiced in their families and in the community. After their presentations, participants from the audience dialogued about what they had heard.

Something particularly memorable occurred in the middle of one discussion when a Muslim woman said it was after sunset and thus her prayer time. The entire group spontaneously asked for ten minutes quiet time so all could pray. While the Muslims walked to the northeast part of the room, removed their shoes, and began their evening prayer, the Christians remained seated and prayed. We were one humanity praying to the same God, but in different languages and different postures.

Among the comments after the dialogues were these two:

I can’t express the impact that the two dialogue meetings have had on me. It was such a beautiful and enriching experience! What I learned preparing my own talk, what I learned, and how my heart felt listening to the other women was all very humbling! There is so much to learn! (A panelist from Bettendorf, Iowa)

You Sisters made a remarkable contribution to peace and unity in the Quad cities by sponsoring these dialogues. Do you know the whole community is talking about the marvel of it all? (An Episcopal banker who attended one evening)

The overall goal of our dialogue was to increase understanding and develop a respect and reverence for each other’s search for God.