Michael Fabricant visited the Buddhavihara Temple last Friday (21st
November) and met the Abbot, the Venerable Dr Phramaha Laow Panyasiri,
and monks from Thailand.

Michael says: "Having visited churches throughout the Lichfield
constituency and our historic cathedral many times, it made an
interesting change to visit a Buddhist Temple here in Kings Bromley.
Buddhism is a very peaceful and tolerant religion and the Buddhavihara
Temple has done much to integrate itself into the community. I was
horrified to hear about how they had been persecuted by local residents
– who themselves are immigrant or first generation immigrant – in
Birmingham before they moved to peaceful Staffordshire. Not all
religions are equally as tolerant as the Buddhists.

"The Temple has laid on many courses for midlanders and those from
further afield in how to find calmness and self understanding in these
troubled times."

Photographs show Michael receiving a gift of books on Buddhism from the
Abbot and sitting in the Prayer Room left to right: Peter Farmer
(Chairman of the House Committee), Michael Fabricant, The Abbot, and
Wilson Young (Temple Secretary).