Vatican Pledges to Work With Muslims
The Associated Press
VATICAN CITY Oct 14, 2005 - The Vatican sent a message to Muslims on
Friday
for the end of Ramadan, pledging to keep up momentum for closer
relations
begun by the late Pope John Paul II and to work for "greater justice
and
enduring peace."
The traditional message, signed by the head of the office for
interreligious
relations, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, said "it was faith in God and
confidence in humanity that impelled the late pope to engage in
dialogue."
During a visit to Syria in 2001, John Paul became the first pope to
visit a
mosque.
The message said Pope Benedict XVI is continuing on the same path and
that
"it is for us to strengthen our engagement in building up good
relations
among people of different religions, to promote cultural dialogue and
to
work together for greater justice and enduring peace.
"Let us, as Christians and Muslims, show that we can live together in
true
fraternity, striving always to do the will of Merciful God who created
humanity to be one family," the message said.