Clerics say Muslims, Catholics must teach other's faith accurately

Published: 2007-03-09

ROME (CNS) -- Muslims and Catholics in the United States need to develop educational programs that will give all of their faithful an accurate picture of the beliefs of the other, said two clerics experienced in Muslim-Catholic dialogue. Father Francis V. Tiso, associate director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, and Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat, president of the Islamic Affairs Council of Maryland, participated in a March 8 videoconference organized by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See. Officials from the U.S. and Canadian embassies, the Vatican Secretariat of State and religious orders attended the conference in Rome. Imam Arafat told participants that while Catholic and Muslim leaders in the United States had been involved in dialogue for decades, it was not until the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that most Muslims and Catholics began to see the importance of understanding each other. "There were obstacles to overcome, including from within the Muslim community," he said. "That changed after 9/11 when people realized we needed to reach out."

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