Young Auckland Latter-day Saints Meet with Catholics 

Young members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined with Catholics in Auckland on Sunday to discuss ways to become more devoted followers of Jesus Christ and opportunities to help the poor and needy.

The “World Youth Day” event, hosted by the Catholic Diocese of Auckland, included devotional meetings, workshops and a pilgrim walk from St Patrick’s Cathedral to the Victory Convention Centre.

A Sunday night devotional held at the convention centre explored key issues faced by young people today — communicated through music and presentations.

Speaking after the event the Bishop of Auckland, Most Reverend Patrick Dunn, said, “We’re all the children of God, the whole human race; so solidarity is a key issue. There’s a basic equality amongst all human beings, that the world itself is there for the good of all people.”

Bishop Dunn referred to “key values of sharing and looking after those that are less fortunate,” and said that “those who are wealthy or those who are healthy [need to look] after those who are poor or those who are sick.”

Mormon Newsroom states: “A respect for the diverse beliefs and unique contributions of all the world’s faiths is one of the hallmarks of Mormonism. From the earliest days of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith elevated the principle of religious liberty and tolerance: “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may” (Articles of Faith 1:11).

“In that same spirit, Church President Thomas S. Monson made a plea during general conference, a semi-annual worldwide meeting, for more religious understanding: “I would encourage members of the Church wherever they may be to show kindness and respect for all people everywhere. The world in which we live is filled with diversity. We can and should demonstrate respect toward those whose beliefs differ from ours” (April 2008 General Conference address). Latter-day Saints accept all sincere believers as equals in the pursuit of faith and in the great work of serving humanity.”

Read more about Latter-day Saints and interfaith relations.

Recent examples of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meeting with or giving community service alongside members of other faith communities include:

• Last weekend Latter-day Saint youth collected for the Salvation Army food banks in Hamilton.
• Last month over 10,000 members of the Episcopal Church (Anglican) attended a convention in Salt Lake City, United States, where the worldwide headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are located. Convention activities included an interfaith service project at the Latter-day Saints’ Welfare Square.
• Earlier this year Elder S. Gifford Nielsen of the Pacific Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met with His Eminence John Cardinal Dew, Archbishop of Wellington.
• In 2014 a group of Catholic and Latter-day Saint young adults visited with Prime Minister John Key and a number of other governmental leaders in New Zealand’s Parliament to discuss the value of faith in modern society and the need for religious freedom to be protected for all people.