Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee holds meeting in Rome

The Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee held its 19th Meeting in Rome, on June 18th and 19th, presided over for the Catholic side by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and presided over for the Muslim side by Prof. Hamid bin Ahmad Al-¬Rifaie, President of the International Islamic Forum for Dialogue.

The theme of the meeting was ‘Believers confronting materialism and secularism in society’ and at the conclusion of the meeting the Catholic and Muslim delegations agreed upon the following six points:.

1) Christianity and Islam affirm the inseparability and complementarity between the material and the spiritual domains. Our responsibility as believers is to reconcile these dimensions of life.

2) Many people today suffer from the loss of spiritual and religious roots; this phenomenon weakens both the inner and moral dimensions of individuals and societies.

3) The world today is facing many kinds of crises. We recognize our common responsibility as believers in God to do all that is possible to protect vulnerable people at this time

4) The participants were honored and pleased to be received in audience by His Holiness Pope Francis, who encouraged them to continue their efforts on the path of respectful and fruitful dialogue between believers for the peace and prosperity of our world.

5) We strongly condemn in particular what is happening in Syria: killing of many innocent persons, aggression against the sacred character of human life and against the dignity of persons; therefore we urge the Regional and International Organizations to do what is possible to stop the bloodshed, according to International Law.

6) The Committee will hold its next meeting in Tatwan (Marocco); it will be preceded by a preparatory event. The Muslim side will undertake to organize it.

Vatican Radio (jUNE 26, 2013)
Source: news.va