Singh was one of a handful of interfaith leaders to meet the Pope

Last week, many Americans, no matter their faith, found themselves captivated by the arrival of Pope Francis in the U.S. For most people, the coverage of the historic visit was exciting and special in a way that few other news stories are. But for a select group of individuals, the pope’s visit meant far more because they were personally involved. One of those people was UB faculty member Satpal Singh.

As an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Singh studies ion channels and how drugs affect them. Singh also is an international spokesman for his Sikh faith, a past chair of the World Sikh Council – America Region, a blogger for Huffington Post and speaker at interfaith meetings advocating for global peace and against violence against women. His commitment to peace began as a result of violent religious persecution he and his family experienced in India during the 1980s.

This commitment brought him to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum as one of about a dozen interfaith leaders invited to take part in “A Witness to Peace: A Multi-Religious Gathering with Pope Francis.” Participants at the meeting, held on Sept. 25, represented Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, the Sikh faith, Islam and Buddhism.

Singh talked to the UB Reporter earlier this week about his experience.

I was notified personally by Bishop James Massa of the Diocese of Brooklyn. It was followed by a formal invitation from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York. I understand their choice was based on my significant interfaith work over the years. In particular, I have been involved in dialogue with our Catholic colleagues and I have raised my voice on human rights issues, particularly on the issue of violence against women.

Meeting with Pope Francis was very meaningful to me from many aspects. His message of love and compassion for all human beings transcends all faiths. Many of the ideals espoused by Pope Francis resonate directly with my own belief system and with the underpinnings of our nation’s constitution.

The meeting was so appropriately named: A Witness to Peace: A Multi-religious Gathering with Pope Francis. It highlighted peace and harmony prevailing over violence and discord, and healing and hope prevailing over pain and suffering. In a world torn by hate and violence, it is important for people from various faiths to get together and raise the voice of oneness of all humanity from a joint platform.

We did not have any personal conversational moments with the pope. Both at the beginning and the conclusion of the prayer service, Pope Francis greeted each of us personally. I must add that while sitting in the pope’s company, one could feel his spiritual presence permeate the whole environment. When he entered the room, it completely transformed everything. One could really feel the vibrations of peace, serenity and harmony.

We had a good opportunity to interact with one another, both before and during the event. As I always feel at such interfaith gatherings, any differences among various faiths and belief systems melt away in handshakes, hugs and friendly conversations.

The event was held in a small hall with about 500 invited guests. Eleven of us representing different faiths sat onstage. Sen. (Charles) Schumer, Gov. (Andrew) Cuomo, Mayor (Bill) de Blasio and other dignitaries arrived. When the pope arrived, he greeted each of us personally. Cardinal Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, welcomed the Holy Father, followed by reflections by the participating rabbi and imam. The pope said a Prayer for Remembrance. Then each of us, representing our faith, said our brief prayer on peace. I said mine in Punjabi: God judges us according to our deeds, not the coat that we wear: that Truth is above everything, and the highest deed is truthful living. Know that we attain God when we love, and only that victory endures, in consequence of which no one is defeated. This was followed by a message by the pope. The ceremony concluded with the singing of a prayer in honor of the deceased, followed by a performance by the Young People’s Chorus of New York City.

The detailed personal attention that we received was amazing. From the close personal attention paid to us by the top leadership of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and that of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, to the courtesy shown by the Secret Service agents, to the individual personal guides provided to each one of us, to the personal tour of the September 11 Memorial and Museum, significant thought had gone into every detail.

Having been involved in interfaith dialogues over the years, I place a very high value on meeting the head of a faith. At the same time, I have developed a very special admiration for Pope Francis. His message of mercy and of caring for the underprivileged segments of society particularly endear him to me. In particular, many of the thoughts promoted by Pope Francis — love and compassion instead of hate and violence, treating all human beings as equal and with respect, caring for human rights, caring for the earth, humility, being a leader who serves his people rather than expecting others to serve him — particularly resonate with the Sikh values with which I have grown up.

One of the best approaches to mitigate hate and violence, and human rights abuses is for religious leaders from various faiths to speak jointly with one voice on such issues. The multi-religious gathering with Pope Francis was an iconic moment in the history of interfaith relationships. The venue had a special significance: the September 11 Memorial, which has been a witness to hate and violence, was turned into an icon of peace, harmony and healing. Being a part of this moment has not only been a huge honor and privilege for me, it has been greatly inspiring and a truly humbling experience.