Catholic church in Moslem countries

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If the faith in God of Islam is the only true one, then why are non-Muslims treated as such at the epicenter of their faith in Saudi Arabia?

The total opposite attitude exists in Rome, at the Vatican, towards non-Catholics, and especially Muslims who can build mosques. This is a great contradiction. The Muslims have more rights to practice their faith by Christians and seculars. So the greater morality and humanity exists outside Islam.
 
Muslim, Jews, and Christians worship the one and only God. Each of us traces our spiritual heritage to Abraham.
What sets Christianity apart from the other two religions is our acceptance of the divinity of Jesus Christ.
CCC841The Church’s relationship with the Muslims
“The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”

Muslims celebrate two main holidays.
The first is Eid al Fitr immediately follows Ramadan in thanksgiving for God’s abundance.
The second is Eid al Adha which celebrates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son (Ismail, rather than Isaac as in Judeo-Christian tradition) in obedience to God. It is about spending time with family and friends, sacrifice, and thanksgiving.
 
It’s not exactly a church, but I saw a priest on EWTN who said that Catholics can attend mass at the American embassy in Saudi Arabia. Probably other Christians denominations can hold services also. I think this is because embassy property is not considered to be part of the host country.
 
As St. Francis or maybe it was St. Augustine said (I don’t have a reference handy)- “evangilize the world- use words if you have to”
 
in saudi arabia there is no church , no freedom in religion

people can worship secret at home

but i read news that they arrested Filipinos because they were attending secret mass !!

londonpatriot.org/2010/10/10/12-catholic-filipino-workers-arrested-in-saudi-arabia-for-attending-a-mass/

so even worshiping at home might be a crime

bible , cross, and another christians items are against the law

talking about the real jesus not the islamic one is crime

people there are not liberal and very conservative and they will not welcome Christianity or any religion

but in the gulf countries such as uae , bahrain , qatar there are catholic churchs for people who work there

in bahrain its ok to be christian and to be bahraini

they will not cut your head lol

there is over 1000 bahraini Christians

i believe there is one catholic church in that country

but i don’t know about other islamic countries

i know that people will have a hard time in Egypt to change their religion officially to Christianity but is much easier to change it to islam

building new chruch is very hard over there i read that you need a Approval from the president himself !!

but there are churches in egypt mostly orthodox,evangelical, and some catholics

in Syria and Lebanon i guess catholics have better life

but in general catholicism is not doing well in the middle east !!
 
It is true the Catholics are not doing well in the Middle East…also the Catholic/Christian communities of Southern Somalia are facing genocide by the Muslim north…as well as the ancient Christian Catholic communities of Iraq. The Palestinian Christians, being the original Christians for 2,000 years, and enduring so many conflicts there are now being forced to leave the country. Lebanon is 70% Catholic, and they are being displaced by militant Shi’a Muslims, Syrians, and Israelis.

It is the sign of the times.
 
I do not remember belonging to a parish as vigorous as my current parish in the Persian Gulf.
I like beginning the New Year before the Blessed Sacrament when possible.
Last year, the taxi driver asked “the First American I have taken to Church” for prayers as he dropped me in front of the church for Holy Hour.
The Multipurpose Hall, which is used for most Masses was over packed, upstairs and down.
Arrangements were made for the crowd standing in drizzling rain (the end of a 3 year drought) in the courtyard to participate via video in the auditorium.
The Holy Hour was followed by Mass.
15 Masses are offered every weekend in 8 different languages. All are packed to overflowing with individuals sitting or standing in the courtyard.
A number of parishioners attend daily Mass, either in the early morning or evening.
There are 2 evening Masses offered Wednesdays along with the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Yes, there are some Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia where the Church is underground. That is not true in all Muslim countries.
 
I heard a story on NPR just yesterday, I think, talking about the completion of a new Catholic church in Algeria. 👍
 
I don’t see why they would lie about the construction of a church in Algeria. From the reports I’ve read, it seems like there has been something of a resurgence of Christianity in that country, particularly among the Imazighen (“Berber” is pejorative), but that the growth is mostly through Protestant/Evangelical home churches, similar to the situation in Iran. The Catholic Christians in Algeria are usually foreigners or French-Algerians (pieds-noirs or their descendents).
 
KathleenGee said:
It is true the Catholics are not doing well in the Middle East…also the Catholic/Christian communities of Southern Somalia are facing genocide by the Muslim north…as well as the ancient Christian Catholic communities of Iraq. The Palestinian Christians, being the original Christians for 2,000 years, and enduring so many conflicts there are now being forced to leave the country. Lebanon is 70% Catholic, and they are being displaced by militant Shi’a Muslims, Syrians, and Israelis.

It is the sign of the times.
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More genocide done by Muslims (sigh). Beginning about 1915 the Ottoman Empire wiped 2/3rds of the Armeinians out, some were Catholic, some Armenian Apostolic. Turkey which the OE became has succesfully wiped the Aremians genocide from existence by their denial, few have even heard of it the denial is so strong.

Their have been efforts in Congress to remember the genocide officially, but they never pass because we are allies with Turkey in NATO and we have milliitary bases their.😦

There is an excellent book on the genocide called “Children of Armenia”.
 
I’m not sure where Kathleen gets her figures, but according to most international estimates (necessary because there hasn’t been an official census conducted by the Lebanese government since the 1930s) Lebanon’s Christian communities stand at 39% of Lebanon’s total population. The country has not had a Christian majority since the very early days of the civil war (I’m going on memory, but I think the first year of a confirmed Muslim majority was 1977 or so), as most of the Christians who could afford to leave fled the violence at the earliest signs of protracted armed conflict. Those who leave today often do so after wisely appraising the evidence that their communities are doomed to marginalization and perhaps eventual extinction. Anyone who is interested in Lebanon from the point of view of everyday Lebanese of a multiplicity of confessions ought to see the documentary We Loved Each Other So Much, ostensibly about Fairuz (Lebanon’s incomparable international icon), but really saying so much more about Lebanon.
 
yes…I think of the ancient churches…each had their theme…or weakness…for Smyrna it was ‘faith unto death’…and that settlement of 5,000 Christians was razed to the ground by the Turks in 1922…that is when American ships stood by…

And our alliance with them is also what fed Russian bitterness towards us…just heard it again by a Russian immigrant…

Some how the immigrants of all types open up to me about their grievances of America…The Smyrna Christians kept their faith for over 2,000 years up to their death as a peoples and culture…and I am sure they hold a high place in heaven.

I have alot of sympathy towards the Orthodox even though I get the impression they don’t like Roman Catholics.
 
Does anyone know what percentage of Lebanese are Antiochian Orthodox and what percentage are Maronites?

This may upset some people on both sides, but I am aware that many people go back and forth between the two.

And an FYI, please forgive my typoes and misspellings, I had a stroke 6 years ago and do my best.
 
pipper said:
Does anyone know what percentage of Lebanese are Antiochian Orthodox and what percentage are Maronites?.
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Are you asking about the percentages in Lebanon itself, or the Lebanese worldwide? In the diaspora, Maronites are a majority of the diaspora (I’ve read ~60% of the total diaspora of 12-15 million), and a majority (~80% of the Christian population) within Lebanon itself. However, since Christians only make up ~40% of Lebanon’s population, that’s of course 80% of 40%…I’m not good at math, but it’s not as impressive a number as it sounds. Greek Orthodox Christians apparently make up about 8% of Lebanon’s total population.
 
dzheremi said:
Are you asking about the percentages in Lebanon itself, or the Lebanese worldwide? In the diaspora, Maronites are a majority of the diaspora (I’ve read ~60% of the total diaspora of 12-15 million), and a majority (~80% of the Christian population) within Lebanon itself. However, since Christians only make up ~40% of Lebanon’s population, that’s of course 80% of 40%…I’m not good at math, but it’s not as impressive a number as it sounds. Greek Orthodox Christians apparently make up about 8% of Lebanon’s total population.
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Personally I am quite poor and have never been out of the US. In another city I knew some Lebanese. and they would go to the Orthodox Mission when a priest was there to serve the DL and they went to Holy Communion, other weeks they recieved at one of the Catholic churches, I know the Orthodox priest was aware of the situation, the Catholic priest and bishop I am not sure. But they assured me going back and forth like that is acc\epted in Lebanon.

stroke patient, forgive typos and misspellings
 
Sister_Amy said:
LOL! I’m aghast to think where you get your news.
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I’m surprised at you Amy for saying that. Considering what Muslim’s hate what Juan Williams said , who was on NPR. You should be the one that SHOULD distrust NPR.
 
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