Doves, roses mark blessing of Quran at downtown Cathedral

[baylee]

Why am I not surprised? This is what I have been talking about in other threads.

The Vatican/Pope has been sending the message that the Muslim religion should be held in high esteem…that there really is no need to convert to Catholicism. I thought I’d never say it, but (for example)…when you have a Pope, the leader of the Catholic Church, kissing the Koran, what do you expect to happen in various Catholic churches?

 

[viveret]

“High esteem” is not given, it is earned.
Islam is a profane religion, the creation of a false prophet.
You cannot add Islam to Catholicism in a syncretic, politically correct and multicultural way without profaning Christianity.
“Ye shall know them by their fruits.”

 

[GeoCyclist]

I, too, am a member of the Diocese of Sacramento, although in a different parish a bit farther south. As an aside, having moved from a different part of California, I have found the Sacramento Diocese very conservative, compared to other areas.

The “blessing” was outside of the Cathedral, not inside. The Cathedral is in central downtown Sacramento (Calif. state capitol) and is used for many local events, not all of which are strictly Catholic nor strictly “religious.”

The reasons for the “blessing” were given in the SacBee article and I don’t see how anyone can object to a brief ceremony celebrating and promoting peace when the Florida pastor could easily have set off an international incident costing many lives by his *hatred *for Muslims. It’s still okay not to hate Muslims, isn’t it?

Father Garibaldi is indeed pastor of St. Francis Church, which is Franciscan, and it is a welcoming home to the very large gay community that shares the same neighborhood. We talk, talk, talk about how we “love the sinner but hate the sin” – St. Francis church is one that really does love “the sinner” – which is all of us.

St. Francis also supports several ministries to the poorest of the poor – including one that I worked with a few years ago, providing breakfast to the homeless who SLEEP ON THE CHURCH STEPS. They staff the city’s largest homeless shelter and their ministries are not bound by rigid laws and conventions. They minister more along the lines of “love your neighbor as yourself…” Hmmm…where have we heard that before?

Here’s the link to the parish if you really want to be shocked: Be sure and read the “why I attend St. Francis” section – people come from many miles away to attend this parish – they even like the music.
stfrancisparish.com/

Their liturgies would, of course, make the friends of CAF turn purple and burp the Kyrie backwards, but they are among the most beautiful, authentic, loving and Spirit-filled I’ve ever worshiped with. God help us, they even have a Taize’ service weekly. Surely the sky will fall.

Liturgically and sacramentally, I’m sure the Koran “blessing” was nothing more than a gesture of peace done in contrast to the hate-monger in Florida, and it was done as we commenorated an attack on the US, while we fight in Afghanistan and face heaven knows what other tragedies in the future. So it made some feel-good Catholics and non-Catholic people feel pretty good for 10 minutes – so what? I can’t think that God was highly offended. Doesn’t our Pope and the Catechism have kind words for Islam? Seems to me they do. Wait… don’t we worship the same God? Not, of course, the same theologically, but the same nevertheless.

Here – check out the Sacramento Diocese – I think you’ll find it’s reasonably orthodox.
diocese-sacramento.org/index.html

What a great post However, this bit was completely unnecessary

Their liturgies would, of course, make the friends of CAF turn purple and burp the Kyrie backwards,

in the sense that it made me snort coffee out my nostrils and nearly destroy a perfectly good keyboard

 

[CathFaith1]

Liturgically and sacramentally, I’m sure the Koran “blessing” was nothing more than a gesture of peace…

It was neither Liturgical nor sacramental.

 

[challam2010]

It was neither Liturgical nor sacramental.

Which is exactly what I said…

(sorry about your keyboard, previous poster…send me the bill at www.snortcoffee.com.

 

[thomasf]

Catholics bend over backwards to bless a koran in a catholic church, but a bible isn’t even allowed to be brought into a muslim country. One of these things is not like the other.

 

[Joe_5859]

UPDATE

In case anyone is interested in what actually happened (), here is the most recent update (from Rorate Caeli via The Deacon’s Bench).

This event was not a blessing, nor did the rector of the cathedral participate. It’s just another example of the media being fuzzy on the details.

Here’s an excerpt from the letter written by the rector of the cathedral in response to this hoopla:

First of all, the “Qu’ran blessed at California cathedral” was misconstrued and of course the event was not in the Cathedral building but merely on the steps allowing visibility from the square.

The term “blessed” has distinct meaning in our Catholic faith. There was no such action in that event. Unfortunately, the term which was used by a Presbyterian Minister and adopted by the media could be misunderstood. During the event some people went forward to place a rose on a table holding a copy of the Qu’ran which perhaps could mistakenly be seen by the unknowing as a “blessing.” Also, it was stated that “During the ceremony, Father Michael Kiernan, rector of the cathedral, read from the Beatitudes.” I did not read anything and did not even participate in the event. The facts are as follows:

The Interfaith Service Bureau (ISB) of Sacramento made up of many denominations planned an event for the public square not owned by the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. The previous Sunday, a wonderful presentation of the commemorative stamp of Blessed Teresa was held with our Bishop present in the same space. The ISB asked if they could use the Cathedral steps to allow people to see what would be going on in the square. Everything was outside the Cathedral on the steps and no one entered the sacred space. This was all the participation by the Catholic Church, except for a Franciscan priest from another parish, who read a short scripture passage. The event was brief, led by Dr. David Thompson, a Presbyterian Minister, who is President of the Interfaith Service Bureau. There was no opening prayer (hence no combined prayer) and there were no speeches of any kind. A few passages from the Qu’ran were read by various faith representatives. It lasted about 20 minutes after which those gathered sang a hymn “Let There Be Peace on Earth.”

(read more)

 

[wisdomseeker]

As 18 doves flew into the skies over the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Saturday night, more than 100 diverse Sacramentans blessed copies of the Quran with roses of love.

Again and again they uttered the refrain, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me” at the entrance to the downtown church framed by white statues of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. A musician with a white guitar accompanied them.

Representatives of Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, B’hai, Mormon, Sikh, Vedic Druid and Muslim beliefs read scriptures from the great religious texts - including six verses from the Quran calling for all faiths to live in harmony.

---

Full Article below, try not to barf

sacbee.com/2010/09/11/v-print/3022701/doves-roses-mark-blessing-of-quran.html

This just reminds of the Passage of Scriptures that says, when they think peace has come, distraction will come upon them. or something like that.

what have we come too. the betrayal to Christ just continues.

 

[wisdomseeker]

I, too, am a member of the Diocese of Sacramento, although in a different parish a bit farther south. As an aside, having moved from a different part of California, I have found the Sacramento Diocese very conservative, compared to other areas.

The “blessing” was outside of the Cathedral, not inside. The Cathedral is in central downtown Sacramento (Calif. state capitol) and is used for many local events, not all of which are strictly Catholic nor strictly “religious.”

The reasons for the “blessing” were given in the SacBee article and I don’t see how anyone can object to a brief ceremony celebrating and promoting peace when the Florida pastor could easily have set off an international incident costing many lives by his *hatred *for Muslims. It’s still okay not to hate Muslims, isn’t it?

Father Garibaldi is indeed pastor of St. Francis Church, which is Franciscan, and it is a welcoming home to the very large gay community that shares the same neighborhood. We talk, talk, talk about how we “love the sinner but hate the sin” – St. Francis church is one that really does love “the sinner” – which is all of us.

St. Francis also supports several ministries to the poorest of the poor – including one that I worked with a few years ago, providing breakfast to the homeless who SLEEP ON THE CHURCH STEPS. They staff the city’s largest homeless shelter and their ministries are not bound by rigid laws and conventions. They minister more along the lines of “love your neighbor as yourself…” Hmmm…where have we heard that before?

Here’s the link to the parish if you really want to be shocked: Be sure and read the “why I attend St. Francis” section – people come from many miles away to attend this parish – they even like the music.
stfrancisparish.com/

Their liturgies would, of course, make the friends of CAF turn purple and burp the Kyrie backwards, but they are among the most beautiful, authentic, loving and Spirit-filled I’ve ever worshiped with. God help us, they even have a Taize’ service weekly. Surely the sky will fall.

Liturgically and sacramentally, I’m sure the Koran “blessing” was nothing more than a gesture of peace done in contrast to the hate-monger in Florida, and it was done as we commenorated an attack on the US, while we fight in Afghanistan and face heaven knows what other tragedies in the future. So it made some feel-good Catholics and non-Catholic people feel pretty good for 10 minutes – so what? I can’t think that God was highly offended. Doesn’t our Pope and the Catechism have kind words for Islam? Seems to me they do. Wait… don’t we worship the same God? Not, of course, the same theologically, but the same nevertheless.

Here – check out the Sacramento Diocese – I think you’ll find it’s reasonably orthodox.
diocese-sacramento.org/index.html

My dear friend. just think if the Apostles had done such a thing. No, they didnt and even lost their lives for the Church. now, they have been dishonored and Christ is being betrayed by those in His Church. Jesus never told us, go and make peace with all man. no, He did say go and preach all I have tough you. Jesus knew exactly what He was asking from the Apostles. He knew that would be no peace. the world has reject Christ from the beginning, the difference is that man has chosen the path of peace among themselves instead of peace with God. of course we would love to have peace wiht all man. but we cant because if peace means to stop preaching Christ crucified to all man than disobedience will bare its fruits in due time. remember God’s way not ours will work. those who rejects Christ are the antichrist, we have no business with the antichrist. our fidelity is with Christ and not false prophets.
Jesus says, those who are not for me, are against me. we have no business gathering around those who are against Christ. dont be naive. Solomon started well and ended up doing exactly this, he was punished aftewards. we have been desensitized by the word ecumenism.

 

[ChadS]

UPDATE

In case anyone is interested in what actually happened (), here is the most recent update (from Rorate Caeli via The Deacon’s Bench).

This event was not a blessing, nor did the rector of the cathedral participate. It’s just another example of the media being fuzzy on the details.

Here’s an excerpt from the letter written by the rector of the cathedral in response to this hoopla:

First of all, the “Qu’ran blessed at California cathedral” was misconstrued and of course the event was not in the Cathedral building but merely on the steps allowing visibility from the square.

The term “blessed” has distinct meaning in our Catholic faith. There was no such action in that event. Unfortunately, the term which was used by a Presbyterian Minister and adopted by the media could be misunderstood. During the event some people went forward to place a rose on a table holding a copy of the Qu’ran which perhaps could mistakenly be seen by the unknowing as a “blessing.” Also, it was stated that “During the ceremony, Father Michael Kiernan, rector of the cathedral, read from the Beatitudes.” I did not read anything and did not even participate in the event. The facts are as follows:

The Interfaith Service Bureau (ISB) of Sacramento made up of many denominations planned an event for the public square not owned by the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. The previous Sunday, a wonderful presentation of the commemorative stamp of Blessed Teresa was held with our Bishop present in the same space. The ISB asked if they could use the Cathedral steps to allow people to see what would be going on in the square. Everything was outside the Cathedral on the steps and no one entered the sacred space. This was all the participation by the Catholic Church, except for a Franciscan priest from another parish, who read a short scripture passage. The event was brief, led by Dr. David Thompson, a Presbyterian Minister, who is President of the Interfaith Service Bureau. There was no opening prayer (hence no combined prayer) and there were no speeches of any kind. A few passages from the Qu’ran were read by various faith representatives. It lasted about 20 minutes after which those gathered sang a hymn “Let There Be Peace on Earth.”

(read more)

This seems to make some sense and if this is accurate the Quran blessing wasn’t really a blessing at all and didn’t take place in the cathedral itself.

ChadS