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The agreement is meant to uphold freedom of religion, expression and thought while fighting religious and ethnic intolerance.
CAIRO — Muslim and Catholic leaders in New Jersey have signed a landmark agreement to fight religious and ethnic intolerance and promote understanding about their faiths, The Courier-Port reported on Thursday, February 21.
“History is being made,” said Zia Rahman, managing director and trustee of the Muslim American Community Association in Voorhees.
“Things have unfolded in a much better way, by the grace of God, than I had envisioned.”
The agreement was co-signed by Bishop Joseph Galante, the head of the Camden Diocese, and Rahman on Wednesday, February 20, at the Voorhees Islamic Center.
It is meant to uphold freedom of religion, expression and thought while fighting religious and ethnic intolerance.
The agreement also aims to bolster cooperation and understanding between Catholics and Muslims in South Jersey through the establishment of a joint committee and institute.
“[This is a ] significant step toward deepening respect and understanding between the two faiths,” said Bishop Galante.
A joint committee has worked for months to forge the agreement.
“It takes a lot of patience and prayer and some negotiation,” said Deacon John Brasley, the ecumenical and interreligious officer for the Camden Diocese.
“It really takes a lot of listening and understanding to reach this kind of agreement.”
The relationship between the Camden Diocese and the Voorhees Muslim community began about eight years ago.
“They’re people of deep faith and prayer,” said Father Joseph Wallace, ecumenical and interreligious affairs director for the diocese.
“They reach out in many ways to all the religions in their communities.”
The document is the second of its kind in the US.
Muslim and Catholic leaders in Rochester Diocese, New York, signed a similar agreement in 2003. Milestone
Posted by: Sofian Abdelaziz Zakkout, info@al-amana.org
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