By Douglas F. Herman
A group of Tibetan Buddhist monks traveling the United States from Tashilhunpo Monastery in southern India were met with a severe wave of religious intolerance recently in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The group had just kicked off a three-month tour in an effort to increase international awareness of the abduction of the 11th Panchen Lama- the second most important spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, and youngest political prisoner in the world. Gendun Choekyi Nyima has been missing for nine years since his abduction by Chinese authorities in 1995 at the age of six shortly after His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama identified him as the incarnate of the 10th Panchen Lama who died in 1989 at the age of 52 under mysterious circumstances.
Father DeYoung of the Basilica of St Adalbert had invited the monks to share aspects of their culture with a public audience that had been assembled with the assistance of a local group TibetMichigan, but what unfolded exemplified the exact opposite of cultural cohesion. A group from a neighboring parish- St Margaret Mary Church in Allendale- who had formally broken away from the Roman Catholic Church filled the front rows of the church in protest of the performance. Rev. Michael McMahon took advantage of an offer from the event organizer to open the evening with a prayer by hijacking the performance. Much to the confusion of the seven monks he took the podium and began with a dedication prayer that never ended. The monks, who were simultaneously meditating on generating a compassionate environment in the Basilica patiently waited for the Reverend to conclude his opening dedication (as has been the case in numerous assemblies in First Presbyterian Churches, Masonic Temples, and other community venues alon the tour). As the congregation proceeded to recite the entire Hail Mary, Rev McMahon snapped repeatedly and shooed the monks from the stage. A general sentiment of confusion began to settle in among the monks as well as the crowd of people in the pews that came to see them perform. What initially seemed to be a display of religious cohesion steadily revealed itself as a blatant act of intolerance and disrespect.
Father DeYoung repeatedly requested for the Rev. and his congregation to leave peacefully but they refused. Once authorities arrived on the scene to ineffectively force their hand, the press had already been summoned by many irate supporters of the monks. When authorities asked the congregation to disperse they simply recited the Hail Mary louder. Rev. McMahon set up camp for the cameras and stated the immorality of an “irreligious procession held by Pagans who worshipped a False God in a beautiful Catholic Church such as the Basilica of Saint Adelbert.” Organizers arranged for the monks and their supporters to reconvene in the basement of the church in an effort to salvage the event
and bring a peaceful conclusion to the evening. Once the complete Hail Mary was recited the group exited the Basilica but continued prayer services before the news cameras upon the steps in front of the church.
The monks had initially wanted to simply pack up and go when they realized what was occurring but organizers were able to convince them to stay for the benefit of all those that had come to hear them chant and speak on the Panchen Lama issue as well as the current state of affairs within Tibet and the exiled community within India. The following day the monks performed Monastic Cham dances inside a packed Cook-DeWitt Auditorium at Grand Valley State University, ironically located in Allendale. Once again the monks relayed their Tibetan Culture and thanked those who have made it possible for their presence in Grand Rapids. Following the event the monks and their interpreter relayed their feelings on the prior evening. Lobsang Gyalbu- who had toured America in 2003- expressed great sorrow that their presence caused such confusion and commotion for the community, and stated that they would not have performed had they known they were not welcome at the Basilica. The true purpose of their journey through America is to create a greater understanding of world culture and to develop cohesion between our societies. When asked if they would ever consider returning to the Grand Rapids area their interpreter- Tsering Dolma Mullens- relayed their warm sentiments for the community and that they do not feel that the prior evening’s event was indicative of the whole of Grand Rapids. Tenzin Kunga- the monastery’s administrator- added that what had unfolded simply gave them an opportunity to further develop their disciplines in patience and compassion as they continue their tour throughout the Northeast.
This story was written by the driver for the Tashi Lhunpo Monks tour.
