Muslim prayer rooms should be opened in Catholic schools, say church leaders (U.K.)

The Daily Mail (U.K.) ^ | December 2, 2008 | Simon Caldwell

[Stoat]

Muslim prayer rooms should be opened in every Roman Catholic school, Church leaders have said.

The Catholic bishops of England and Wales also want special toilet facilities in schools to be adapted for Islamic cleaning rituals.

Their demands will shock both Catholic parents and the Government because they go way beyond the legal requirements on catering for the rights and needs of religious minorities.

But the bishops are keen to answer critics who say religious schools sow division - and to show that they are leading the way in building bridges between people of different faiths.

The bishops acknowledge in a new document proposing the measures that 30 per cent of pupils attending Catholic schools hold a non-Christian faith.

"If practicable, a room (or rooms) might be made available for the use of pupils and staff from other faiths for prayer," the bishops said in the document, Catholic Schools, Children of Other Faiths and Community Cohesion

"Existing toilet facilities might be adapted to accommodate individual ritual cleansing which is sometimes part of religious lifestyle and worship,” they said.

"If such space is not available on a permanent or regular basis, extra efforts might be made to address such need for major religious festivals."

The Islamic cleansing ritual, called "Wudhu", is carried out by Muslims before they pray.

Islam teaches that Muslims are unfit for prayer if they have not performed Wudhu after breaking wind or using the toilet.

[Myrddin]

I insist on establishment of a pork ribs and beer bar inside every Islamic mosque. It makes just a much sense as adding an Islamic prayer room to a Catholic church and is no more offensive.

[MES401067]

Whats sad at this point is that the only thing that they would fight over is make sure the pillow doesn’t clash with the curtains.

[Salvation]

Won’t happen.

[Stoat]

I’m sure that we’re all praying that you’re right.

[the scotsman]

Firstly, this is merely a proposal, idotic of course, but not official policy.

Secondly, as Catholic pupil rate decrease in Britain, methinks this is a cynical attempt to keep and get more cash from the Govt, who continue to support state faith schools.

Me?. I respect religion, but I am a hardcore secularist when its comes to issues like this. And I would be even if I was a staunch church goer (Protestant, Catholic or Jewish)

[the scotsman]

There arent enough Catholic pupils in many Catholic schools, so for some time now, they have taken Protestants, Jews, Muslims etc from the local areas in order to make up the numbers. Otherwise govt and councils might not fund them as much.

This IMO is another way to keep them funded, less kumbaya and more ka-ching.

[the scotsman]

See my recent answer to recent poster on why.

[the scotsman]

Not enough Papists.