Midwest Catholics, Muslims talk about shared values

Published: 2006-01-16

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Twenty Catholic and Muslim leaders discussed shared religious and moral values and issues facing people of faith in a multicultural secular nation during a meeting of the Midwest Regional Dialogue of Catholics and Muslims, held Dec. 13-14 at the headquarters of the Islamic Society of North America in Plainfield, Ind. Among papers discussed was one by Louay Safi, the society's leadership training director, on different models for reconciling secular and religious perspectives in public life. He said a political system of rule of law in a democratic society requires some of the same virtues and values espoused by revealed religions: morality, honesty, justice, human dignity. The dialogue, one of three regional Catholic-Muslim dialogues in the country, is co-sponsored by the Islamic Society of North America and the Catholic bishops' Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. The bishops' Department of Communications issued a news release on the proceedings in January.

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