Mary a Meeting Point of Cultures, Says Muslim - Encourages Pilgrimages to Marian Shrines

Zenit News Agency ^ | June 29, 2006

[NYer]

ROME, JUNE 29, 2006 (Zenit.org).- An Egyptian Muslim and deputy director of a prominent Italian newspaper suggested that Mary could be the figure who brings Christians and Muslims together.

Magdi Allam of Il Corriere della Sera spoke to ZENIT about the appeal he launched in the pages of the national daily newspaper to Muslims living in Italy to visit the Marian shrines in their host country.

The journalist said that he is convinced that the Virgin Mary is a meeting point between Christians and Muslims.

"Mary is a figure present in the Koran, which dedicates an entire sura [chapter ed.n.] to her and mentions her some thirty times. In Muslim countries there are Marian shrines that are the object of veneration and pilgrimage by Christian and Muslim faithful," he said.

"Therefore, I believe that if this happens in Muslim countries, why can't it happen in a Christian country, especially in a historical phase in which we need to define symbols, values and figures that unite religions, spiritualities and cultures?" he asked.

In Allam's opinion, "the Marian pilgrimage of Loreto -- Italy's National Shrine -- could represent a moment of meeting and spiritual gathering between Muslims and Catholics, around Mary, a religious figure that is venerated by both religions."

Vittorio Messori, author of book-interviews with Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Benedict XVI), also wrote in Il Corriere della Sera on June 15 in support of Allam.

He said that the dialogue between Christians and Muslims "can begin afresh from Mary."

[bonfire]

"To Jesus through Mary"

You don't need to go thru ANYONE to get to Jesus! You all have missed the ENTIRE POINT OF JESUS!

[Theoden]

She was already saved by Christ, immaculately conceived, and is the first among Saints. We simply pray to her for her to pray for us, and to intercede directly with Christ. It's a step above asking another person to pray for you, and Catholics believe Christ elevated her directly.

We have different interpretations of the same Scriptures. There is nothing wrong with praying to Mary, as it is all about Christ anyway. I won't try to convince you otherwise, I only hope to show you our(Catholic) view of this. We worship Christ alone (per the Nicene Creed), and that is not put in jeopardy in any way by praying to Mary or any other Saint. I will pray to her for you. To Christ through Mary.

[cammie]

And even tho you are taught that non Catholics are NOT saved, I have twenty years of Catholic education A minor in philosophy and theology at a Catholic university, Thirty-five years in the Catholic Church and never once has any priest, theologian, professor, or lay Catholic intimated anything near what you're saying. This is not the Catholic position. Whomever taught this to you is not only wrong, but probably knowingly lying.

[cammie]

"To Jesus through Mary"

You don't need to go thru ANYONE to get to Jesus! You all have missed the ENTIRE POINT OF JESUS!

Well then, I hope you've never asked anyone to pray for you, because it's the same thing.

[Bainbridge]

For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.
Romans 3:23
There is no * here. (* except for Mary of Nazareth).

This is your doctrine "developed" with no warrant of scripture. For some reason, Roman Catholicism insists on working backwards through the mystery of the incarnation and attempting to " make it work".

[Bainbridge]

Christianity is not based on peer-pressure ( note your last sentence.)

In fact, it is the essence of simply responding to the Truth, no matter what all of those around you might say.

[Bainbridge]

So how far back does it have to go?
Don't Mary's mother, grandmother, ad infinitum, have to escape the fatal transmission?
The reason RC's could see Mary as a point of reconciliation with what Islam is because they are distracted by her and miss the truth about what Islam is- an evil heresy.

[Pyro7480]

The reason RC's could see Mary as a point of reconciliation with what Islam is because they are distracted by her and miss the truth about what Islam is- an evil heresy.

LOL! While your spiritual ancestors were "busy," Catholic forces were busy saving the entire continent of Europe, first at Lepanto, and then at Vienna.

[Bainbridge]

So, you like Luther when he agrees with you, but when he complains( 95 odd times) he is bad.

Once again, RC's are big on the peer pressure approach.

[NYer]

Mary is just another sinner in need of Christ for eternal life too.

Prove it!

[Bainbridge]

Who are my spiritual ancestors?

[Zionist Conspirator]

In an apologetic endeavor, it is always best to start with that which people already accept.

Too bad the same sensitivity isn't shown when it comes to Fundamentalist Protestants who believe in Biblical inerrancy. With them it's "we're right, you're wrong, get over it."

[Bainbridge]

There have been a half dozen verses posted that are clear as to the need of all humanity being in need of a Saviour, and that he is Jesus.
You always just yell that Mary is not singled out. Precisely she is one of the " all" and that is the point.

[Pyro7480]

I'm guessing, from your comments, that you're one of the various "Reformed" Christians (evangelical, Protestant, "non-denomination, fundamentalist, et al).

[RobbyS]

It was when he departed from tradition that Luther went off the plantation. Some Orthodox like Augustine, but do not accept him as authoritative in the same way that we in the West do.

[Zionist Conspirator]

You would never even have seen the scriptures had not several monks (who by the way venerated the Mother of God) copied and recopied them for us.

And your church would never have had the Scriptures had it not been for the "Scribes and Pharisees" who serve as the arch-villains in your religion. So what makes you better than the Protestants you so easily look down on?

There is something very tiresome in hearing Catholics constantly preaching Judaism to the Protestants and Protestantism to the Jews.

[Pyro7480]

Oops, #74 was directed to you.

[RobbyS]

Depends on what one means by inerrancy. There is the kind that Muslims attach to the Koran; there is the kind that Christians traditionally attach to the Bible.

[nmh]

The Bible states so.

If Mary was so PERFECT, then why did Jesus bother to die for a PERFECT MORTAL?

That's because even Mary was NOT without SIN.

Mary is just another sinner.

No mere mortal is PERFECT or without sin. ONLY Shrist who walked the earth is without sin.

Yes, Muslims and Catholics have much in common - adoring and praying to a SINNER. For Muslims, it's SATAN.

[NYer]

For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. Romans 3:23

Though Paul is making a generalization of all humanity, we would agree that there are exceptions. For example, a child below the age of reason is not capable of committing actual sin. By definition he can’t sin, since sinning requires the ability to reason and the ability to intend to sin. This is indicated by Paul later in the epistle to the Romans when he speaks of the time when Jacob and Esau were unborn babies as a time when they "had done nothing either good or bad" (Rom. 9:11).

Jesus is another significant exception to the rule, having been exempt from actual and original sin (Heb. 4:15). If Paul’s statement in Romans 3 includes an exception for the new Adam (Jesus), one may argue that an exception for the new Eve (Mary) can also be made.