Cardinal: Avoid use of Christian airport chapels for Muslim prayer

[WanderAimlessly]

Cardinal: Avoid use of Christian airport chapels for Muslim prayer
By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

ROME (CNS) – Airports are obvious places for interreligious dialogue, but to avoid confusion it would be better if Christians did not offer use of their airport chapels for Muslim prayers, said the cardinal in charge of the Vatican’s dialogue with other religions.

French Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, encouraged Catholic airport chapels to support the establishment of “meditation rooms” that can be used by any religious group, but he cautioned against opening dedicated Christian chapels to other religions.

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[Dale_M]

Airports are obvious places for interreligious dialogue

They are??

I’m not sure what effect Cardinal Poupard’s advice will have, other than possibly eliminating Christian chapels in favor of non-sectarian “meditation rooms”. Surely airports are not going to establish rooms of worship for every major religion.

 

[Digitonomy]

Airports are obvious places for interreligious dialogue

Yes. People are much more likely to run into those of another religion at an airport than going about their daily business in their own neighborhoods.

he cautioned against opening dedicated Christian chapels to other religions.

I didn’t think that dedicated Catholic chapels were generally open to use by other Christian denominations, much less non-Christians. If that’s the case, who is dedicating these apparently non-denominational Christian chapels the cardinal is talking about?

 

[rwoehmke]

They are??

I’m not sure what effect Cardinal Poupard’s advice will have, other than possibly eliminating Christian chapels in favor of non-sectarian “meditation rooms”. Surely airports are not going to establish rooms of worship for every major religion.

I am thinking that is exactly what he is saying without coming right out and giving the order. The psychology behind his reasoning appears to be sound. If a Chapel is open to use by any kind of Christian it would be seen as a stick in the eye to exclude other religions. If it were say an exclusively Catholic Chapel that would be a whole nother matter.

 

[jack_hawkins]

well I know from the UK with hospital chapels that the Muslims cover up all Christian symbols with cloths etc - so NO they shouldn’t be allowed to use a holy place. It affects the sanctity of that place of Christian worship.

 

[chicago]

At Chicago O’Hare, the chapel is supposed to be, technically, interdenominational. But, practically speaking, it’s primarily run by the Catholics and has an altar, ambo, and tabernacle… even a holy water font. I beleive that was included as one of the indulged parishes for the Jubilee Year, actually.

So, anyway, alongside daily Mass and such, services are conducted for other Christian denominations and Muslims. There’s a Muslim prayer rug on the floor (outside of the Sanctuary). When I used to go there to pray late evenings, this one Muslim man (who must have been a worker at the airport) would regularly come in at the appointed time and say his prayers in accordance with his faith. I was always struck by the reality that in facing the direction of prayer which he was, he would be facing the Blessed Sacrament as we effectively prayed to the same God present there, perhaps unbenonst to him.