In a press release issued here, the United States Hindu Alliance (USHA) said it wishes to praise the significant contributions of Pope John Paul ll, the spiritual and temporal leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, in the areas of inter-religious dialogue, religious reconciliation, and promotion of freedom. USHA also wishes to extend our sympathy to Catholics around the world as they mourn the death of the popular Pope.

“Pope John Paul ll had won the respect of all people as he charted a new course that was truly radical in Church history. His call for dialogue among the world’s faiths, honoring the victims of the Holocaust, recognition of Israel and visits to Jewish and Muslim places of worship made a crucial difference in the field of inter-religious dialogue,” said the release. “He had also asked for forgiveness to Jews and Africans for sins committed by Christians in the past. These gestures, although centuries later, reflected his genuine nature towards religious reconciliation. We as Hindus believe that had he lived longer, he would also have asked forgiveness from Hindus for the Goa Inquisition and the enslavement of India by Christians in the past. The Pope’s greatest contribution may well be his role in defeating Communism in Eastern Europe.”

“It is our fervent hope that the new Pope and the new Roman Catholic Church will continue on the path set forward by John Paul ll. The challenges that confront inter-religious dialogue, religious reconciliation, and the spread of freedom require all faiths to work in harmony and earnestness,” it added. 

USHA is a national grass roots organization of Hindus for safeguarding the rights and promoting the interests of 2 million Hindus in America and 1 billion Hindus worldwide. USHA strives to empower Hindu Americans through activism, participation and advocacy. USHA members and activists interact with local communities, the media, the academia, and the political establishment so that a better understanding of Hindus can emerge through dialogue. 

"Hindus in America are part of a growing global faith with more than a billion followers. Hindus live in more than 180 countries of the world and are contributing towards peace, harmony, justice, freedom, religious tolerance and prosperity around the world. Hindus have believed in freedom of thought, freedom of expression and freedom of worship for millenniums," said the release. "We hope for a day when people of all faiths will embrace whole-heartedly the message of mutual acceptance, mutual respect and the validity of all spiritual paths."