Posted on 03/22/2008 2:17:09 PM PDT by kellynla
Italy's most prominent Muslim commentator is converting to Catholicism by being baptized by the pope at an Easter vigil, the Vatican announced Saturday.
Magdi Allam is the deputy editor of the Corriere della Sera newspaper and writes often on Muslim and Arab affairs. Born in Egypt, he has described himself as a non-practicing Muslim. He has long spoken out against extremism and in favor of tolerance.
Pope Benedict XVI was baptizing seven adults during the service, which marks the period between Good Friday, which commemorates Jesus' crucifixion, and Easter Sunday, which marks his resurrection.
The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said of Allam before the service that anyone who chooses to become a Catholic of his or her own free will has the right to receive the sacrament.
Lombardi said the pope administers the sacrament "without making any 'difference of people,' that is, considering all equally important before the love of God and welcoming all in the community of the Church."
Benedict opened the lengthy nighttime service by blessing a white candle, which he then carried down the main aisle of the darkened St. Peter's Basilica. Slowly, the pews began to light up as his flame was shared with candles carried by the faithful, until the whole basilica twinkled and the main lights came on.
The baptism rite during the vigil service is part of the joyful renewal Christians associate with Easter.
There is no overarching Muslim law on conversion. But under a widespread interpretation of Islamic legal doctrine, converting from Islam is apostasy and punishable by death — though killings are rare.
Egypt's highest Islamic cleric, the Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa, wrote last year against the killing of apostates, saying there is no worldly retribution for Muslims who abandon their religion and that punishment would come in the afterlife.
Osama bin Laden accused the pope in a new audio message posted Wednesday of playing a "large and lengthy role" in a "new Crusade" against Islam that included the publication of drawings of the Prophet Muhammad that many Muslims found insulting.
Lombardi said Thursday that bin Laden's accusation was baseless. He said Benedict repeatedly criticized the Muhammad cartoons, first published in some European newspapers in 2006 and republished by Danish papers in February.
Pope to Baptize Prominent Muslim
Easter and the Holy Eucharist(Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
Holy Saturday and the Easter Vigil
THE EASTER LITURGY [Easter Vigil] (Anglican and Catholic Rites)
Holy Saturday and the Easter Vigil
Poles visit symbolic Christ's Graves on Holy Saturday
HOMILIES PREACHED BY FATHER ALTIER FOR EASTER VIGIL FROM 2002-2005
2 Paschal Candles; Lights On at Vigil And More on Washing of the Feet
This holy baptism has made my Easter !!!
Paschal blessings be with us all !!!
Have you ever actually attended a Catholic baptism? You make it sound like all that happens is that someone gets wet.
There's a bit more to it than that. Here's a taste:
Minister*: Do you reject sin, so as to live in the freedom of God's children?
[The ordinary minister of the sacrament of baptism is a deacon, priest, or bishop.]
Catechumen: I do.
M.: Do you reject the glamor of evil, and refuse to be mastered by sin?
C.: I do.
M.: Do you reject Satan, father of sin and prince of darkness?
C.: I do.
M.: Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth?
C: I do.
M.: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
C.: I do.
M.: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
C.: I do.
M.: God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and forgiven our sins. May God also keep us faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever.
Amen.
Sounds like a "personal decision" to be a disciple of Christ to me. If someone is going to stand up in front of people and publicly profess a lie, that's too bad, but it's not the church's fault. We're pretty clear on what's expected, and it's a whole lot more than just getting wet.
Pope Benedict really knows how to sock it to the Muslimes
well, I also have another attitude — if a Muslim is converting, I’d be overjoyed if he chooses any branch of the Christian faith — I’d even be happy if he/she becomes a Zoroastrian/buddhist/hindu/jain/sikh
Happy Easter!
I hope he does better than some of his predecessors.
Appeasement will not work.
From the yahoo article: “ The Vatican statement announcing Allam’s conversion said: “For the Catholic Church, each person who asks to receive Baptism after a deep personal search, a fully free choice and adequate preparation, has a right to receive it.”
It said all newcomers to the faith were “equally important before God’s love and welcome in the community of the Church.”
“
True — appeasement does not work. Let’s all of us believers in Christ now work ever harder to spread the Good News to Muslims
INDEED.
I housed one and ministered to him over a year.
He is now a missionary to others.
GOODNESS! AN RESURRECTION SUNDAY MIRACLE!
THANKS BIG.
BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS.
Thanks for living your faith, not just writing about it.
Thanks for putting it that way.
I tend to see too many of the ways I fail, so often.
Mercifully, He keeps affirming that His Grace is sufficient.
I hope he takes a hard line on the prottie heretics as well, especially the more bombastic ones.
Weeell, here’s my view — I see slam as the bigger threat to us all. And by “us”, I mean not only the various Christian groups, but also Hindus, Buddhists, etc.
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