Vatican official offers best wishes to Muslims as Ramadan nears end

Published: 2004-11-05

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Offering his best wishes to Muslims about to celebrate the end of the monthlong Ramadan fast, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald offered special prayers for Muslim children and for joint efforts to keep families strong. As president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Archbishop Fitzgerald writes a message to the world's Muslims for the end of Ramadan each year. The Vatican released the 2004 message Nov. 5, about nine days before the Eid ul-Fitr feast that marks the end of Ramadan fasting for the world's 1.2 billion Muslims. Archbishop Fitzgerald praised the Muslim practice of teaching their children to observe the fast from an early age, "thus developing in them a sense of God and a spirit of religious obedience, at the same time helping them to train their will and to acquire self-discipline." As he did with an earlier message to Hindus preparing to celebrate Diwali Nov. 12, the archbishop focused his message on the importance of children in each faith and on the need to work together to help children suffering from poverty, war and disease.

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