Catholic/Muslim Alliance in your diocese?

[Beautiful]

Does your diocese have a Muslim/Catholic Alliance? After a little digging around on the Rochester, NY diocesan website I found the following information.
How extensive is your diocesan outreach to your local Muslim community?

ST. BERNARD’S SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY
CONSECRATION OF TIME IN TWO RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS:
Our presenters will begin by briefly describing the ways in which their respective worship traditions, Muslim and Catholic Christian, consecrate the passing of time. They will then serve as resources as those present explore together the key similarities and differences between our two traditions as well as the ways in which knowledge of each

ISLAMIC CENTER OF ROCHESTER
BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD: RAMADAN and LENT
Our presenters will begin by briefly describing the ways in which particular seasons of worship in their respective traditions, Ramadan and Lent, provide special opportunities for growth in faith. They will then serve as resources as those present explore together the key similarities and differences between Ramadan and Lent as well as the ways in which knowledge of each other’s special worship seasons can enhance understanding of our own.

MYSTICISM: MONKS AND SUFIS
Our presenters will begin by briefly describing key expressions of spirituality in their respective traditions, monasticism and Sufism. They will then serve as resources as those present explore together the key similarities and differences between these expressions as well as the ways in which knowledge of each other’s expressions of spirituality can enhance understanding of our own.
Sponsored by the Muslim Catholic Alliance of Rochester, the Council of Masajid of Rochester, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester
Co-sponsored by the Commission on Christian Muslim Relations (CCMR), and the Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue (CISD) at Nazareth College

Source

 

[Dale_M]

Thanks for letting us know about the Catholic/Muslim Alliance. It sounds like it could be beneficial for individuals and for our nation.

I don’t think we have anything such as the CMA, but we are a rural diocese with a low percentage of Muslims. Are there significant numbers of Muslims (and Catholics! ) in the Rochester diocese?

 

[Beautiful]

Are there significant numbers of Muslims (and Catholics! ) in the Rochester diocese?

Thousands according to this from the Islamic Center of Rochester website.

Islamic Center of Rochester was established in 1975. The Muslim population in the Greater Rochester area has grown from a few in the late 1960s to many thousands today. The Islamic Center membership consists of Muslims born in the United States and those who have accepted Islam and the immigrants who come from most of the Muslim countries of the world. The present active membership of the Islamic Center exceeds 500 families. The new builsing of the Islamic Center of Rochester was completed in 1985. it is located on 4 acres of prime land within 10 minutes of downtown Rochester and the major area universities anc colleges. It has over 8.000 square feet of floor space, which includes prayer and multipurpose halls, offices, library and kitchen. There is a picnic shed adjacent to a pond for summer recreation. The property is fully paid for. To meet the growing needs of the Muslim community, expansion of The Cebnter is under active consideration. The Islamic Center has a full time Executive Director / Imam, elected Board of Directors and the Council of Trustees. The Council develops the policies and is responsible for long term planning while theBoard implements the policies, manages the facilites, programs and day to day activies. The Executive Director provides religious guidance and leadership and is in charge of education programs at The Center.

More people are Catholics than anything here.
I don’t mean to be off beat here but it strikes me as odd as I read the history of the Rochester Islamic Community the fact that the property is fully paid for is stated so bluntly.
Whatever.
Yes - a Catholic/Muslim alliance can be a good thing.

 

[thedavidwilson]

Thousands according to this from the Islamic Center of Rochester website.

More people are Catholics than anything here.
I don’t mean to be off beat here but it strikes me as odd as I read the history of the Rochester Islamic Community the fact that the property is fully paid for is stated so bluntly.
Whatever.
Yes - a Catholic/Muslim alliance can be a good thing.

Why would an alliance between Catholics and heretics be a good thing? Doesn’t it just validate their false religion?

 

[paarsurrey]

Yes - a Catholic/Muslim alliance can be a good thing.

Hi

Muhammad/Islam/Quran has always welcomed joining hands of the Muslims and Christians in matters of truth that are common between both:
The Holy Quran : Chapter 3: Aal-e-`Imran
[3:65] **Say, ‘O people of the Book! come to a word equal between us and you - that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partner with Him, and that some of us take not others for Lords beside Allah.’ **But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness that we have submitted to God.’

Unquote

Thanks

 

[Beautiful]

Why would an alliance between Catholics and heretics be a good thing? Doesn’t it just validate their false religion?

I don’t think the fullest intention of the alliance and document of agreement is to ‘validate’ as much as it is to make grounds for getting along peacefully. Certainly there is a degree of validation an alliance.

Muslim Catholic Alliance

This document was signed May 3, 2003, by Bishop Matthew H. Clark and representatives of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, and Muslim representatives of the Greater Rochester Council of Masajid.

Agreement of Understanding and Cooperation

The following is a solemn document of agreement between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, NY and the Council of Masajid of Rochester, NY.

Affirming our faith in only one God, and recognizing our common history and shared Abrahamic traditions, we pray to the merciful God to inspire in us respect, mutual understanding, and love and to guide us to pursue our common values for the benefit of all in our society and beyond.

Full text of Rochester Catholic/Muslim agreement

 

[Beautiful]

Hi

Muhammad/Islam/Quran has always welcomed joining hands of the Muslims and Christians in matters of truth that are common between both:
The Holy Quran : Chapter 3: Aal-e-`Imran
[3:65] **Say, ‘O people of the Book! come to a word equal between us and you - that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partner with Him, and that some of us take not others for Lords beside Allah.’ **But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness that we have submitted to God.’

Unquote

Thanks

Hi Paarsurrey-
I appreciate your quote from The Holy Quran. Honestly - the Word that came to my mind after reading your shared quotation is from the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 10.

Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, "Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words–go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. Matthew 10:5-16

In the Name of Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

 

[Greg27]

There is no Alliance here in Australia, though Cardinal Pell has met with Islamic leaders before. The Benedictine monks here have occasionally engaged in meditation with the Buddhist monks here.

 

[thedavidwilson]

Hi

Muhammad/Islam/Quran has always welcomed joining hands of the Muslims and Christians in matters of truth that are common between both:
The Holy Quran : Chapter 3: Aal-e-`Imran
[3:65] **Say, ‘O people of the Book! come to a word equal between us and you - that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partner with Him, and that some of us take not others for Lords beside Allah.’ **But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness that we have submitted to God.’

Unquote

Thanks

Yes, he welcomed them as long as they paid a protection tax (jizya), forfeited their rights under the law and did not openly practice their religion. That is if they were Christian or Jewish. If they were not People of the Book they were killed if they did not convert. Very welcoming indeed.

Quran 9:29
Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.

 

[Beautiful]

There is no Alliance here in Australia, though Cardinal Pell has met with Islamic leaders before. The Benedictine monks here have occasionally engaged in meditation with the Buddhist monks here.

A written alliance looks good on paper. I hope some good will come of it.

Article III looks very challenging for both sides.

Article III

We dedicate and commit ourselves to foster the maturing relationship of mutual respect and cooperation between our two communities, by promoting a deeper knowledge of and respect for each other’s history, traditions, and sensitivities.

For us to accomplish this, our communities are seriously encouraged to discover even better ways to foster and promote:

a. A comprehensive dialogue that leads to goodwill and mutual understanding.

b. The development and dissemination of appropriate information involving each other’s religious traditions for both children and adults. Combined learning experiences are especially encouraged.

c. The necessity to deepen awareness and sensitivity to issues of special contemporary concern to either community.