Just for reference, Detroit (actually the nearby community of Dearborn) boasts the largest concentration of Arabs anywhere in the world outside of the Middle East. A story from a Detroit Newspaper focused on a conference between the Catholic Cardinal, and a group of the most prominent Islamic clerics in Detroit. I thought that both groups had good things to say.
Here's the link to the web page where the article is located.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti … /609290387
Here is the article in its entirety.
PUSH FOR INTERFAITH UNITY: Maida reaffirms bond with Muslims
Religious leaders seek to end tension over pope's remarks
September 29, 2006
Muslim and Catholic leaders in metro Detroit said that Cardinal Adam Maida's visit to the state's largest mosque Thursday put an end to any lingering local tension over controversial remarks about Islam made earlier this month by Pope Benedict XVI.
"There is no need for a clash of cultures between us," Imam Achmat Saleh of the Unity Center in West Bloomfield said as he left the meeting with Maida. "The cardinal took time to come here, to meet with us and to show, once again, that there is a closeness between our communities."
At the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, a private, hour-long meeting between Catholic and Muslim leaders was followed by Maida and Imam Hassan Qazwini giving brief, public talks about the long-standing bonds between the two faiths.
Maida said the close relationship stretches back at least 41 years, to a historic Vatican declaration of respect for Islam.
"Many aspects of your traditions resemble elements of our own Catholic practices, especially the importance of daily prayer, fasting and pilgrimage," Maida told the Muslim leaders in his public remarks. He was paraphrasing portions of the 1965 Vatican declaration about the church's need to improve relations with both Jews and Muslims.
Maida and Qazwini both said the private meeting did not involve apologies either for the pope's remarks or for violent protests by a few Muslim groups around the world. Benedict already has issued several apologetic statements from the Vatican and has met with Muslim leaders in Rome.
Qazwini repeated his own frequent denunciations of violence.
"As a Muslim leader, I condemn all acts of violence that took place after the pope's remarks," he said.
Even if Muslims took offense at what the pope said at a German university, Qazwini said, "this does not justify the violent reactions of Muslims, or I should say superficial Muslims, who committed violence."
Qazwini said he was "appalled and shocked" by such reactions.
Other Muslim leaders at the meeting said the U.S.-based Council on American-Islamic Relations is raising money to help repair Christian churches damaged in the incidents.
Maida said he is most concerned about not losing momentum in working with Muslims on issues such as human rights.
"Such dialogue and collaboration requires from all of us a commitment to guard against any form of intolerance or any form of violence," Maida said.
Several participants said the private conversations felt like a family gathering, rather than a confrontation.
Msgr. Patrick Halpenny, interfaith spokesman for the Archdiocese of Detroit, said, "The atmosphere really was very fraternal and open. Everyone was intent on emphasizing that we've already got good working relationships that we want to continue."
Imam Mohamad Mardini of the American Muslim Center in Dearborn agreed. "It was very friendly and fruitful, and that's because we have had such strong bridges between us all along," he said.
The meeting simply cleared the air in a public way, Mardini said, "demonstrating to the whole world that we will continue to work hard together for the peace and justice that matter to all of us."
Here's the link to the web page where the article is located.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti … /609290387
Here is the article in its entirety.
PUSH FOR INTERFAITH UNITY: Maida reaffirms bond with Muslims
Religious leaders seek to end tension over pope's remarks
September 29, 2006
Muslim and Catholic leaders in metro Detroit said that Cardinal Adam Maida's visit to the state's largest mosque Thursday put an end to any lingering local tension over controversial remarks about Islam made earlier this month by Pope Benedict XVI.
"There is no need for a clash of cultures between us," Imam Achmat Saleh of the Unity Center in West Bloomfield said as he left the meeting with Maida. "The cardinal took time to come here, to meet with us and to show, once again, that there is a closeness between our communities."
At the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, a private, hour-long meeting between Catholic and Muslim leaders was followed by Maida and Imam Hassan Qazwini giving brief, public talks about the long-standing bonds between the two faiths.
Maida said the close relationship stretches back at least 41 years, to a historic Vatican declaration of respect for Islam.
"Many aspects of your traditions resemble elements of our own Catholic practices, especially the importance of daily prayer, fasting and pilgrimage," Maida told the Muslim leaders in his public remarks. He was paraphrasing portions of the 1965 Vatican declaration about the church's need to improve relations with both Jews and Muslims.
Maida and Qazwini both said the private meeting did not involve apologies either for the pope's remarks or for violent protests by a few Muslim groups around the world. Benedict already has issued several apologetic statements from the Vatican and has met with Muslim leaders in Rome.
Qazwini repeated his own frequent denunciations of violence.
"As a Muslim leader, I condemn all acts of violence that took place after the pope's remarks," he said.
Even if Muslims took offense at what the pope said at a German university, Qazwini said, "this does not justify the violent reactions of Muslims, or I should say superficial Muslims, who committed violence."
Qazwini said he was "appalled and shocked" by such reactions.
Other Muslim leaders at the meeting said the U.S.-based Council on American-Islamic Relations is raising money to help repair Christian churches damaged in the incidents.
Maida said he is most concerned about not losing momentum in working with Muslims on issues such as human rights.
"Such dialogue and collaboration requires from all of us a commitment to guard against any form of intolerance or any form of violence," Maida said.
Several participants said the private conversations felt like a family gathering, rather than a confrontation.
Msgr. Patrick Halpenny, interfaith spokesman for the Archdiocese of Detroit, said, "The atmosphere really was very fraternal and open. Everyone was intent on emphasizing that we've already got good working relationships that we want to continue."
Imam Mohamad Mardini of the American Muslim Center in Dearborn agreed. "It was very friendly and fruitful, and that's because we have had such strong bridges between us all along," he said.
The meeting simply cleared the air in a public way, Mardini said, "demonstrating to the whole world that we will continue to work hard together for the peace and justice that matter to all of us."