For the second year in a row, Tibetan Monks from the Gaden Shartse Norling Monastery in India, visited Jesuit High School Sacramento. 

On Tuesday, Jan. 14, the monks visited as part of their monastery’s Sacred Arts of Tibet Tour, which aims to share the culture and traditions of the Buddhist faith with the world, as well as promote religious unity.

The event consisted of a short prayer service, followed by a lengthier Question and Answer session where students had the opportunity to ask about everything from the monks’ dress code to deeper questions about Buddhist philosophy.

Theology teacher Dr. Mark Luttio, helped organize the event. He believes the visit helped broaden the religious perspective of Jesuit students.

“I believe that the event serves to expand the horizons of our Jesuit student body,” Dr. Luttio said. “Especially the horizons of our otherwise myopic spiritual landscape where we don’t always look beyond the silos that we reside in or the confines of our own religious traditions. This is certainly one that is very different than what we generally are exposed to here in North America.”

Tyler Rowsey ’26 attended the event and appreciates the journey that the monks took to share their culture with our community.

“I think the most important thing was the fact that they came from so far away and they shared their culture and their experience as someone coming from Central Asia,” Tyler said. “It’s just interesting to learn about someone from a foreign country.”

Despite the many differences in religious tradition between the monks and the Jesuits, religious unity was a theme that was stressed throughout the visit. Geshe Phuntsho, one of the monks present, feels that every faith has a shared goal: to teach people to be loving and compassionate. 

“It’s like a mountain, and the top is [the goal],” Phuntsho said. “No matter which direction you climb – some are easier, some are harder – but on top it is the same. Every religion and faith and belief is trying to climb towards the mountain, from different directions.” 

The event was certainly an attempt by all parties to meet on that mountain top of understanding, from the monks who traveled from so far away to the Jesuit students and faculty who strove to seek out more information about other faiths and cultures. 

Finding common ground between cultures and faiths was the main goal of the event, for both the monks and the Jesuit community. Dr. Luttio believes that these experiences are necessary in order to create a more understanding world.

“I really do believe the more we can do this, the better world that we’re gonna create together and also create a safer world of neutral blessing,” Dr. Luttio said. “I mean, having them here was a blessing to me because it made me aware again of this profound religious/spiritual tradition that helps bring compassion to a world in suffering, and it’s a really simple but beautiful philosophy of how to be freed from those encumberments.”

Like a monk seeking Nirvana, we must all try and find the common ground that is shared by all of humanity’s faiths and traditions. It’s only by coming together and having thoughtful interactions with people who have different views and experiences than our own that we can truly begin our journey.