The Vatican has claimed the month of Ramadan is important not only for Muslims but also for Christians.
The Vatican department of Interreligious Dialogue said in a message of good wishes to Muslims worldwide that during Ramadan, declaring existing friendships between Christians religions are “paving the way for more peaceful, harmonious and joyful coexistence.”
The Dicastery’s prefect signed the message, Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, M.C.C.J, and its secretary.
“This corresponds to the divine will for our communities, and indeed for all the members and communities of the one human family,” reads the text, published by the Vatican on Friday.
The message also warns that a peaceful coexistence is threatened by “extremism, radicalism, polemics, disputes, and religiously motivated violence,” adding they “are fueled by a culture of hate.”
The Vatican office also argues that such a culture must be countered and overcome by “enhancing instead, enhancing love and friendship, in particular between Muslims and Christians, due to the bonds that unite us.”
“The message adds that despite the threat of perceived differences, we must not forget what we have in common,” it adds.
“This means overcoming negative attitudes toward those who are different from us such as “suspicion, fear, rivalry, discrimination, exclusion, persecution, polemics, insults, and backbiting,” the message states.
The message also states that social media platforms are “common spaces for such harmful behaviors,” and pervert their role of communication and friendship to “being instruments for enmity and fighting.”
The text continues, “respect, goodness, charity, friendship, mutual care for all, forgiveness, cooperation for the common good, help to all those who are in any kind of need, and care for the environment.”
“A world where justice, peace, fraternity and prosperity reign please [sic] the Almighty and brings joy, calling, therefore, our sincere and shared engagement,” it adds.
However, the Vatican failed to mention the primacy of the Catholic faith or the teaching of Jesus Christ.
While the Vatican appears to have a soft approach towards the Muslim religion, Cardinal Robert Sarah, the prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, warned against such a stance.
In 2019, Sarah caused controversy after claiming Islam “would invade the world” if the Catholic Church did not help stop mass migration.
“It is a false exegesis to use the Word of God to promote migration. God never wanted these rifts,” Cardinal Robert Sarah said.
“All migrants who arrive in Europe are penniless, without work, without dignity…This is what the Church wants?” he asked.
“The Church can not cooperate with this new form of slavery that has become mass migration.”
“If the West continues in this fatal way, there is a great risk that, due to a lack of birth, it will disappear, invaded by foreigners, just as Rome has been invaded by barbarians,” he added.
“My country is predominantly Muslim. I think I know what reality I’m talking about.”
READ: Pope Warns Jesus Christ Followers Not to Convert Nonbelievers: It’s a “Pagan” Activity
