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NOBLE BIRTH COMMEMORATION 15 February 2008 |
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Muslims and Catholics Make Commit to Treat the World with Care Muslims and Catholic Melbournians came together on Saturday night to commemorate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. Pledging their Intentions before an audience of 150 people, representatives from the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Australian Intercultural Society confirmed the sacredness of each other’s traditions. “We have heard the Word of God speaking to us in our sacred scriptures,” stated Father John Dupuche, Chair of the Catholic Interfaith Committee. Held in the Diocesan Office, the Cardinal Knox Centre on Saturday 15 March, Catholic and Muslim explored the theme of the ‘Servanthood and Submission of Jesus and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)’. Professor Ismail Albayrak, from the newly established Fethullah Gülen Chair for the Study of Islam and Muslim-Catholic Relations at Australian Catholic University, and Mr David Schütz, from the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Melbourne Catholic Archdiocese discussed the legacy that these important personalities left behind for their communities. “We will not gloss over the differences, but we shall not fail to see the similarities,” said Father John. Discussing the strong connection between the servanthood and supplication of the Prophet Muhammad, Professor Albayrak noted its significance for human beings within their world. “Servanthood, in its most broad definition, means that mankind should live in accordance with God’s commandments,” said Professor Albayrak. “In other words, human beings should live in harmony with the world around them, without being caught along the way, while walking towards God, through the mysterious corridor of the universe. David Schütz drew attention to the teaching of Jesus that greatness can be measured by service to others. “Although he is clearly the master of the disciples, yet he declares that the greatest honour goes to the greatest servant.” This event is a product of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Australian Intercultural Society and the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne last year. The Memorandum encompasses the three year period 2007-2009 and addresses several key dimensions: Dialogue of Life, Dialogue of Action, Dialogue of Understanding and Dialogue of Religious Experience. This event is all the more significant considering the Pope’s establishment of the Catholic-Muslim Forum, bringing together about 130 Muslim scholars in October this year and founded to further relations and increase collaboration between the two faiths. >> Prof Albayrak >> David Shutz
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