Barcelona Catholic church opens doors to Ramadan dinners, citing "We are all the same".

Katie8758

Well-Known Member
With COVID-19 restrictions preventing Barcelona's Islamic population from celebrating Ramadan at the usual indoor venues, a Catholic church has offered up its open-air cloisters for Muslims to eat and pray together.

Every evening between 50 and 60 Muslims, many of them homeless, stream into the centuries-old stone passages of the Santa Anna church, where volunteers offer a hearty meal of home-cooked food.

"We are all the same... If you are Catholic or of another religion and I am Muslim, that's fine," said Hafid Oubrahim, a 27-year old Moroccan of Berber descent who attends the dinners.

"We are all like brothers and we must help each other too."

During the month of Ramadan, observant Muslims do not eat between sunrise and sundown, breaking their fast only after nightfall with a meal known as Iftar.

Faouzia Chati, president of the Catalan Association of Moroccan Women, used to organise Iftar gatherings in the city, but limits on indoor dining forced her to seek an alternative space with good ventilation and room for distancing.

She found a receptive ear in Father Peio Sanchez, Santa Anna's rector, who sees the meeting of different faiths as emblematic of civic coexistence.

"People are very happy that Muslims can do Iftar in a Catholic church, because religions serve to unite us, not to separate us," said Chati.

Sanchez looked on as a man intoned the Muslim evening call to prayer beneath the orange trees of the church's central courtyard, illuminated by the flames of gas heaters.

"Even with different cultures, different languages, different religions, we are more capable of sitting down and talking than some politicians," said the rector.

Source:
https://www.reuters.com/world/europ...hurch-opens-doors-ramadan-dinners-2021-05-03/
 

JamesSuth

Well-Known Member
I occasionally hear stories of churches opening their doors to Islamic worship / acts. I have never heard of a mosque opening its doors to Christian worship / acts, which speaks to me clearly about how the Islamic world sees this kind of activity.
 

GHoe

Well-Known Member
This Reuters article makes this sound like some organic act of kindness.

But this quote sure sounds Pope-y.
Speaking of Pope-y Talk, (or Poppy Cock as both apply)

From "The Document on Human Fraternity For World Peace and Living Together" 2019' on the Vatican's Website (and no I don't have this document memorized but it should be looked into as it clearly means to shove Christianity and Islam together and reads that individualism in Religion should not be adhered to... Ahem..Jesus Christ as the only means to salvation)

"The pluralism and the diversity of RELIGIONS, colour, sex, race and language are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings." -pope

I'm quite sure that while God permits people to be different, he does not "will" it in regard of Religion.

("Will" as a transitive verb, when it does not modify another verb as a verbal auxiliary, refers exclusively to desiring or wanting something.)
 

Everlasting Life

Through Faith in Jesus
There's nothing new under the sun with human nature:


But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires.”

Jeremiah 18:12


God foresaw the entrenchment of evil in human nature:


But he said, “Go now, Daniel, for what I have said is kept secret and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means.

Daniel 12:9-10


And even to the end, despite God's mercy and grace shown through Jesus Christ, there will be those so entrenched in evil and self deception:


Then he instructed me, “Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near. Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.”


“Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.

Revelation 22:10-12



A caution to those who've not done so yet, now's the time to place faith in Jesus Christ for the salvation of your soul so that you will not be so entrenched in evil but will be saved from the wrath of God:

The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God.


“This, then, is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”


John 3:16-21


And for those who are saved, we continue to live by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, following Him and doing good:

Do not be agitated by evildoers;
do not envy those who do wrong.For they wither quickly like grass
and wilt like tender green plants.

Trust in the Lord and do what is good;
dwell in the land and live securely.
Take delight in the Lord,
and He will give you your heart’s desires.


Psalm 37:1-4


Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.

John 5:28-30
 

Andiamo

"Let's go!"
Speaking of Pope-y Talk, (or Poppy Cock as both apply)

From "The Document on Human Fraternity For World Peace and Living Together" 2019' on the Vatican's Website (and no I don't have this document memorized but it should be looked into as it clearly means to shove Christianity and Islam together and reads that individualism in Religion should not be adhered to... Ahem..Jesus Christ as the only means to salvation)

"The pluralism and the diversity of RELIGIONS, colour, sex, race and language are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings." -pope

I'm quite sure that while God permits people to be different, he does not "will" it in regard of Religion.

("Will" as a transitive verb, when it does not modify another verb as a verbal auxiliary, refers exclusively to desiring or wanting something.)
That is interesting. And telling.
 

Wings Like Eagles

Well-Known Member
Wonder what God thinks about this?
Since the only purpose in fellowship with unbelievers is to bring them the gospel, not much I would imagine. But, it could be a vehicle for reaching out to Muslims. I hope that is the result. Not some phony Chrislam (which, given the RCC proclivity to syncretize the true faith I am not very confident that will not be the result).

One of the people groups that are most easily converted today are Muslims. They are already half-way there because they regard Jesus (they call Him "Issa") as a great prophet and they revere Jesus' mother, Mary. They are coming to Christ in numbers never seen before (albeit often secretly, as they face severe persecution). We must pray for those Muslims who have hearts that are tender toward the Lord--that they would receive the full gospel and be born again.
 
Back
Top