2008-11-07 15:35:32

Catholics, Muslims Affirm Shared Mission


(Nov.07,2008): Catholics and Muslims agreed that youth must be formed in their own religious traditions and correctly educated about other religions, to give witness to transcendent values in a secular society. The recently established Catholic-Muslim Forum affirmed this in a joint declaration released on Thursday at the conclusion of their first seminar, which began Tuesday in the Vatican. The theme of the three-day seminar was "Love of God, Love of Neighbor."
The final statement of the forum reflected many points of similarity between the two creeds, as well as resolutions for positive action to build solidarity and peace between the two. We are convinced that Catholics and Muslims have the duty to provide a sound education in human, civic, religious and moral values for their respective members, and to promote accurate information about each other's religions,"it said.
Seminar participants recognized that plurality in God's creation is a richness and should not be a source of conflict. They professed the belief that "Catholics and Muslims are called to be instruments of love and harmony among believers and for humanity as a whole, renouncing any oppression, aggressive violence and terrorism, especially that committed in the name of religion, and upholding the principle of justice for all."
The joint declaration emphasized that young people are the future of the religious communities as well as societies. It asserted the necessity of forming youth in their own religions, as well as in the understanding of other cultures and religions. The statement closed with a plan to hold a second seminar in two years in a Muslim-majority country.









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