Student Attends Catholic Social Teaching Seminar

Deepak Guatam has a greater appreciation for what it means to be part of the larger human family. It was an “amazing experience”, he said, to attend the Path to Peace Foundation Catholic Social Teaching Seminar in New York City in May, and witness “how the Holy See is working to serve the human family.” A recent graduate of Caldwell College, Guatam joined college students from across the nation for the week-long intensive workshop entitled Freedom, Truth and Charity: Promoting Human Development as a Vocation.

The seminar exposed students to social teaching and to the work of the Holy See Mission to the United Nations. The Path to Peace Foundation is independent from, but works in collaboration with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the U.N. Students attended lectures and heard from ambassadors, United Nations officials, and representatives from Catholic social organizations.

A Hindu from Nepal, Guatam learned that Catholic Social thought can help people of all faiths address social issues with truth and charity. One of his favorite talks was Diplomacy in the Modern World by H.E. Ambassador Martin Ney Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN.

”It was an exciting wonderful opportunity to hear about modern diplomacy from the various diplomats. It was also amazing to see the Catholic faith in action and the hope that the U.N. provides to create a just and peaceful world," he said.

Other talks included: Archbishop Celestino Migliore Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations on the “Holy See at the United Nations”; Rabbi Gerald Meister

Former Advisor on Christian Affairs, Foreign Ministry of Israel. Former Director, Inter-Religious Department of the World Zionist Organization/Jewish Agency for Israel on “Creating a Society of Hope and Peace: the Israel/Palestine conflict”; Brother David Carroll Former Under-Secretary General, Catholic Near East Welfare Association and Ms. Feda Abdelhady-Nasser First Counselor, Permanent Observer of the Mission of Palestine to the UN on Creating a Society of Hope and Peace: The Palestinian Question”.

Guatam said many of the students appreciated the presentation by the Sisters of Life who are dedicated to protecting and enhancing the sacredness of every human life. They were talking about “real life issues”, he said, and “new hope for new life.”

The group visited religious and historical sites and non-profits including Covenant House, which provides services to homeless and runaway youth.

They stayed at the Passionist Retreat House in the Bronx and then during the day traveled to Manhattan for the sessions. And there was a lot of fun too. One evening, they took a Circle Line Cruise around Manhattan.

The group also put their faith into action and saw how young people can influence society, said Guatam. They packed food to distribute to those in need at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church near Penn Station in Manhattan.

Guatam said he now feels an even greater responsibility to do what he can to contribute to making the world a better place. “I believe that this hope and faith from the U.N. and the Holy See are the guiding hands that can rescue our society from the darkness of poverty and violence and take us closer to the just, peaceful utopian world that we all dream of.”

For more information on the Path to Peace Foundation, go to http://www.thepathtopeacefoundation.org/.