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community
February 7 , 2017 | The Valley Catholic
Muslim-Catholic Community Event Produces Partnership Between Two Faiths
By Liz Sullivan
More than 750 Muslims and Catholics from the surrounding area gathered at the SABA Islamic Center on January 16 , for a community event of hope and solidarity . Following the event , leaders from the two religious communities agreed to form a local Muslim-Catholic Council .
“ Let us commit to move forward together so that today ’ s prayer is not simply a symbolic gesture of good will , but rather , a promise to engage in an on-going dialogue of mutual understanding leading to friendship and common work ,” said Bishop Patrick J . McGrath , during the event , held on Martin Luther King Jr . Day .
Bishop McGrath will appoint several Catholic members and the same number will be appointed from members of the Muslim community . The Council will meet quarterly to plan and evaluate collaborative efforts . The multi-lateral aspects of their efforts will include :
Clergy-to-clergy . This would entail regular meetings between Catholic clergy and professional ministerial staff and Muslim clergy and professional staff . These conversations could be about topics that clergy deal with every day , things of professional interest , or possible projects that clergy might
Bishop Patrick J . McGrath , center , joins religious and civic leaders after the Muslim-Catholic Event on January 16 at Saba Islamic Center . Joining the Bishop at the event were , from left : City of San Jose Deputy Police Chief Tony Mata ; City of San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo ; Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors President Dave Cortese ; Iman Tahir Anwar ; Bishop ; Moulana Nabi Raza Abidi ; Iman Bakri , Sayyid Abazar Wahidi and City of Fremont Police Captain Fred Bobbitt .
want to do together . Some sessions could talk about respective theology and culture , others about hotter items like Palestine . The Council would determine the curriculum of such conversations .
Religious Education ; educatorto-educator . These conversations would be between Catholic educators and Muslim educators . Among them , school principals , administrators , religious educators , who would gather to talk about topics that would help respective Muslim and Catholic students understand and appreciate the nuances of religious traditions . It would also help plan and coordinate guest speakers to come to speak to students in classrooms .
Congregation-to-congregation . These conversations would bring Catholics and Muslims together for fellowship and popular education about respective traditions and it would help demystify and demythologize negative impressions . The Council would help create a curriculum and process for these conversations .
“ Peace drives our work within our communities and our work in the world ,” said the Bishop , who then quoted Dr . King when he said “ power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice , and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love .”
“ We must cease this opportunity to work together to make this country a better place for all people . Muslims and Catholics share many beliefs and values which in turn offer a platform to launch our efforts from ,” said Moulana Nabi Raza Abidi of the SABA Islamic Center . “ We look forward to working closely together to serve our creator through serving his creation .”
Also speaking at the event was Aurora Solis , a parishioner at Most Holy Trinity Parish in San Jose and a leader with the People Acting in Community Together ( PACT ).
“ As an immigrant I have experienced what it is like to be persecuted ,” said Solis . “ I know my brothers and sisters of the Muslim religion are going through the same thing . It is important that we see each other as human beings and have respect for each other .”
Prior to the event , dozens of marchers processed from Our Lady Star of the Sea Church , several blocks to the Mosque in a sign of solidarity for proposed immigration reforms by newly inaugurated President Donald J . Trump .
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