Elder Robert J. Dudfield, Area Seventy in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was asked to offer a prayer at the Australian Catholic University’s New South Wales Parliamentary Interfaith Breakfast on Wednesday 17 October.
The breakfast meeting took place at the New South Wales Parliament House in Sydney.
Guests included: The Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP, Premier of New South Wales; Mr Luke Foley MP, Leader of the Opposition; Professor Greg Craven, Vice-Chancellor and President, Australian Catholic University; The Hon John Fahey AC, Chancellor Australian Catholic University; Professor Greg Craven GCSG, Vice-Chancellor and President, Australian Catholic University; Mr Ashley Midalia, Director of Government, Policy and Strategy Australian Catholic University; and Ms Janice Petersen, Journalist and News Presenter SBS World News.
Elder Dudfield delivered the following prayer:
Our Father in Heaven,
We thank thee for the opportunity we have been given to participate today in this interfaith breakfast, gathered together in unity and companionship.
We are grateful to live in a country that allows freedom of expression in an environment that fosters mutual respect, kindness and understanding. We pray that religious freedom may continue to be preserved and strengthened through wise and inspired leadership, and for supporting policies that weave their way through the fabric of Australian society. We also pray that we may always look for opportunities to minister to others, and to treat everyone with kindness, respect and fairness, regardless of our differences.
We pray that families will be strengthened, that the role of parents may never be diminished, and that children will be reared in love and righteousness. May faith, respect and good moral values be a consistent part of their upbringing.
We pray for all who serve in public office, that they may be guided by divine wisdom to provide principles and effective leadership. May their decisions be inspired as they continue to lead this wonderful country of ours.
We thank thee for thy Son Jesus Christ, for His love, His teachings and His example for us all. But most of all we express our deepest gratitude for His atoning sacrifice for us all. May we strive to be like Him in our thoughts, our attitudes and our actions towards one another, in a spirit of peace, love and understanding.
We offer this prayer in his Holy name, even Jesus Christ. Amen.
Other prayers were then offered by representatives of the Hindu, Baha’i, Catholic and Unitarian Universalist faith traditions.
“A respect for the diverse beliefs and unique contributions of all the world’s faiths is one of the hallmarks of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” according to the Church’s Newsroom website.
“From the earliest days of the Church, 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).”