Pakistan Church leaders focus on tolerance and peace

(July 19, 2010) In the wake of recent blasphemy accusations against Pakistani Christians, Faisalabad Church leaders have warned Catholics not to discuss Islamic doctrine. “Do not talk about the religion of the majority. Our survival depends on this,” Dominican Father Pascal Paulus told parishioners at Holy Rosary Church at Mass on Sunday. “Respect Islam and try to be tolerant and peaceful,” the priest said after the church was stoned on July 10 by a crowd of 100 angry Muslims carrying sticks and glass bottles. Local Christians guarded the church for several nights last week following the incident, which was sparked by blasphemy charges against Rashid Emmanuel, a Christian pastor, and his brother for allegedly publishing an “anti-Muhammad” pamphlet. The Catholic Church has formed an inquiry committee of 15 lay people to investigate the facts of the case. About 90 local religious leaders, including four Catholic priests, six Christian pastors and 80 Muslim clerics met at a local hotel on July 16 to discuss the issue. They agreed to use their pulpits in a bid to stop further unrest by focusing Friday sermons and Sunday Masses on brotherhood and acceptance. Father Aftab James Paul, director of the Faisalabad Diocesan Commission for Interreligious Dialogue expressed worry that a large number of Islamic seminarians were generally less moderate than common people.