Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait also hosts Catholic Churches!
Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti wants churches destroyed –
it’s time for the West to rethink relations
Unless Western powers show they care about human rights they will be exposed as hypocrites
This story, reported by an Israeli source,
about the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia calling for the demolition of all
churches in the Arabian peninsula, may at first sight seem like an old
story. In fact it is not, it is merely that the Mufti has said exactly the same thing before now; presumably he has had to repeat himself as people were not paying attention the first time.
There are several very interesting things that one should bear in
mind when considering the Grand Mufti’s latest pronouncement. Here are
just a few of them.
This is the Grand Mufti talking. It is not some bearded loon, or some
fringe extremist, but rather the chief religious authority of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, home to the two holy mosques and so on. So this
man speaks with authority. It is as if the Archbishop of Canterbury had
spoken.
The Grand Mufti is appointed by the Saudi government. The Saudis are allies of us Brits and the Americans.
Search however hard, you will never ever find any pronouncement by
any Catholic prelate calling for the destruction of mosques anywhere in
the world. Rather the Church’s approach is laid down in the Vatican II
document Nostra Aetate, which has only nice things to say about Muslims.
But imagine for a moment if a Catholic prelate were to call for the
destruction of mosques, or indeed any restriction on Muslim worship.
This would be an unwarranted interference in freedom of religion and
would evoke a storm of protest.
Hilariously, the Mufti seems to be pushing at an open door. There are
no churches in Saudi Arabia. That is because all non-Muslim worship in
the Kingdom is illegal. There may be some places of worship inside
embassies, but that is something of which people prefer not to talk, as
it might count as provocative. There may be priests active in the
Kingdom, but if so, they do not go about openly. There are some churches
in the Gulf states, which has clearly got the Mufti going. The people
who go to Mass in such churches now know that the Mufti is on to them.
They are mainly workers from the Philippines and India, who have a
pretty hard life as it is. Of course, this would be funny, if it were
not for the fact that the Arabian peninsula depends for its prosperity
on foreign workers, many of whom are Christian, and many of whom are
notoriously badly treated. Now the Mufti wants to demolish their beloved
churches. Nice one.
Finally, let us remember the very simple word “reciprocity”. This is
something that we believe in, but the Saudis do not. There is, as has
been pointed out many times, a mosque in Rome, our holy city. This was
built with the Pope’s approval. When are the Saudis going to return the
favour, as civility demands?
The Vatican has no diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, as it cannot have diplomatic relations with any state that does
not recognise freedom of religion. I am an official Catholic theologian,
though my fatwas never quite get the attention I feel they deserve. The
Mufti has repeated himself, and so will I. The West should show it is
serious about human rights and disrupt diplomatic and cultural relations
with the Saudis. This is a moral necessity. Until we do so, we are
exposed as hypocrites.
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2015/03/19/how-can-the-west-keep-up-good-relations-with-saudi-arabia-when-its-chief-religious-leader-wants-churches-destroyed/
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The Catholic Community in Saudi Arabia
(note: these are secret churches in the sanctioned compounds by Saudi Arabia for the workers and are not talked about)
The Catholic Community in Saudi Arabia is part of the
family of the Universal Church whose spiritual head is the Pope. On May
31, 2011, according to a decree of the Holy See, Saudi Arabia was
detached from the Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia and included in the
newly-formed ecclesiastical territory of the Apostolic Vicariate of
Northern Arabia. The Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia is under the
pastoral care and guidance of His Lordship Bishop Camillo Ballin, MCCJ.
According to an unofficial census, there are
estimated to be more than 1.5 million Roman Catholics in Saudi Arabia.
All the Christians/Catholics are expatriate workers from various parts
of the world, notably the Philippines and India.
Saudi Arabia is an Islamic state. The ethnic
Saudi population is a hundred percent Muslim. There are no Saudi
Christians at all and Islam is the only permitted religion. As yet,
Saudi Arabia does not have official diplomatic ties with the Holy See.
In a way, Saudi Arabia has indirect relations with the Vatican, as
international conferences like the one in Madrid, prove. In 2007, King
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia visited the Pope at the Vatican gifting him a
gold sword during his half-hour audience. Their discussion focused on
the affinity between Islam and Christianity pertaining to issues such as
the family and peace in the Middle East. This was the first ever
audience by the head of the Roman Catholic Church with a Saudi monarch.
As Saudi Arabia is home to Islam's holiest sites,
it does not permit churches to be built, as a result there are no
Christian churches or places of worship. Non-Islamic religion is not
recognized and its public display or activity is prohibited. The
Catholic community respects the sensitivities of the region and has
always maintained a low profile. Relations with the local authorities
are generally good. The country allows Roman Catholics and Christians of
other denominations to enter the country as foreign workers for
temporary work.
The situation of the Church in Saudi Arabia is similar to that of the early Christian communities.
http://www.avona.org/saudi/saudi_about.htm
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March 26, 2008
Saudi Arabia Says No To A Catholic Church:
The Islamic Fear of Freedom of Religion
By Hugh McNichol Pewsitter.com
March 26, 208 - There was news last week about Vatican
discussions with Saudi Arabia for the building of a Catholic Church in
that country. Within the last twenty-four hours there are several news
stories stating the Saudi Arabia will not agree to this until the
Catholic Church acknowledges the Prophet Mohammed.
The Saudi government needs to acknowledge and affirm the essential human
right to worship freely throughout the world regardless of religious
affiliation. The real issue that needs to be considered is the freedom
of all people to publicly practice their faiths, regardless of what
religion dominates the political landscape.
The Islamic community in the Middle East should not require the Catholic
Church’s public acceptance of the Prophet Mohammed as part of its
negotiations towards establishing a Catholic presence in Saudi Arabia.
In the same manner, Catholics should not require any Saudi proclamation
that favors Christianity either.
To the best of my knowledge, there is no country that requires a public
proclamation of any specific religion before the right to assemble and
worship is permitted. There are, of course, areas that have religious
persecution in the world; Islamic countries often prohibit public
displays of Christianity. However, a public proclamation regarding the
superiority of Islam over Christianity is something that undermines the
entire concept of religious freedom and tolerance.
Catholicism does not need to make any public proclamation regarding the
existence of the Islamic faith. Consistently the Church has proclaimed
that the Islamic faith is not considered as a legitimate path towards
salvation. Faith in Jesus Christ and Christian baptism are the only
vehicles that ultimately bring about salvation. The mere fact that the
Church proclaims Islam and other faiths in error of proper and correct
religious convictions is proof enough of the Church’s acceptance of the
existence of Islam and other non-Christian religions.
Since its inception, Islam has maintained a consistent campaign of
theological terrorism, waged against non-Islamic believers. Not only
have Islamic countries imposed Islamic rule over all faiths, they have
made any faith outside of Islam a punitive crime against society. The
blood of thousands of faithful Christians indeed acknowledges the
presence of Mohammed’s religious convictions. The Catholic Church
continues to suffer persecution by the same alleged religious group. One
only needs to recall the Chaldean Archbishop’s death in Iraq earlier
this month to be reminded of this fact.
The religions of the West have made considerable efforts to maintain an
open and evolving relationship with the followers of Islam. What the
followers of Islam need to realize and acknowledge is the firm
conviction on the part of the Catholic Church that outside of the Church
there is no salvation. While we can diplomatically and politically hope
for a nurturing of relationships between our faiths, ultimately we seek
their total religious conversion to Christ.
In a period that constantly suggests political correctness and attempts
to refrain from any type of offense against other faiths, Catholicism
honestly put is in the business of converting everyone to the precepts
of our faith.
Why does Islam fear freedom and the free exercise of religion? Could it
be they know that if given such freedom, many Muslims would convert? If
not, why are they afraid of competing in arena of religious faith.
The Catholic Church does not fear such competition. It welcomes it. The
Church recognizes and accepts that all people have the freedom to
choose to worship in whatever manner they choose. However, whether
Muslim, Buddhist, Episcopalian, Jew, Protestant, or a member of any
other faith, our ultimate goal is to have them embrace the faith - - but
of their own free will - - not a coerced conversion at the edge of a
sword .
From a Catholic/Christian perspective it is just good business to seek
new followers, and we welcome all converts of Islam and any other
religion.
Our religious evangelization as Catholics includes a peaceful message of
Gospel
love, which is not determined by stipulations that acknowledge the
superiority of one religion over another. We simply ask for total
conversion to the message of Jesus Christ. If indeed this conversion is
not acceptable to sensitive Islamic believers, then please continue on
your path of religious convictions. We openly proclaim you indeed have
the right to be wrong about God and the proper understanding of faith.
However, we will not intimidate, or otherwise manipulate you into
religious submission.
We believe in God’s unfolding plan for all peoples and faiths. We pray
that the message of Jesus Christ will ultimately manifest itself among
the peoples of the Islamic world, and our peaceful message will prevail
over the violent message of Islamic political and social domination. In
the meanwhile, as faithful believers in the same ultimate God, Islam
should recognize the intrinsic human rights of religious freedom and
expression for all faiths, not just the secular sponsored faith of
Mohammed.
Hugh McNichol is a Catholic author that writes
freelance works on topics that involve Catholicism. He writes a daily
column, verbumcarofactumest.blogspot.com
http://www.pewsitter.com/view_news_id_7306.php
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First Catholic Church for Saudi Arabia ?
First Catholic church for Saudi Arabia
Catholic News, Vatican
Saturday, March 22, 2008 6:57:04 PM (IST)
Vatican, Mar 22:
Negotiations are underway to build the first Catholic church in Saudi
Arabia with King Abdullah lending his support for its construction.
Vatican Radio reports the Vatican and the Saudi government are
currently in talks to allow the church despite the kingdoms ban on
allowing the construction of any non-Muslim place of worship.
No religion other than Islam is allowed to schedule public services,
and even the possession of bibles, rosaries, and crucifixes is
forbidden.
Saudi Arabia is the only country on the Arabian Peninsula without a
Catholic church despite the 800,000 Catholics - virtually all of who are
foreign workers.
While Saudi Arabia does not have formal diplomatic relations with the
Holy See, King Abdullah became the first reigning Saudi monarch ever to
visit the Vatican last November.
Commenting after his meeting with the Pope Vatican officials
confirmed the Pontiff pressed for permission to open a Catholic church
in the kingdom.
Holy See spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said that opening a Catholic
parish in the Islamic land would be "a historic achievement" for
religious freedom and a major step forward for inter-religious dialogue.
The apostolic nuncio to Kuwait, Qatar, Yemen, the United Arab
Emirates, and Bahrain, Archbishop Paul-Mounged El-Hachem, is reportedly
the lead Vatican negotiator in talks with Saudi officials.
http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=44912
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A Church in Saudi Arabia?
By
Jeff Israely/Vatican City
Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2008
Karim Jaafar / AFP / GettyA cameraman films the first mass held at St. Mary's Roman Catholic church in Doha, Qatar, on March 15, 2008.
Interfaith dialogue has become an important exercise in finding
the right words to overcome both extreme violence and ordinary
misunderstanding. True progress, however, is best measured in deeds. The
inauguration last week of Qatar's first Christian church — a small
Catholic chapel bearing neither bells nor visible crosses — has been
hailed as a welcome step forward in relations between Catholicism and
Islam. But an even more dramatic development is under discussion just
across the border: The Vatican has confirmed that it is negotiating for
permission to build the first church in Saudi Arabia.
Presiding over the cradle of Islam and home to its holiest sites, the
Saudi monarchy has long banned the open worship of other faiths, even as
the number of Catholics resident in Saudi Arabia has risen to 800,000
thanks to an influx of immigrant workers from places like the
Philippines and India. Mosques are the only houses of prayer in a
country where the strict Wahhabi version of Sunni Islam dominates. But
Archbishop Paul-Mounged El-Hachem, the papal envoy to the smaller
countries on the Arabian peninsula, such as Kuwait and Qatar, has
confirmed that talks are under way to establish formal diplomatic
relations between the Vatican and Saudi Arabia, and to eventually allow
for Catholic churches to be built there. Pope Benedict XVI is believed
to have personally appealed to King Abdullah on the topic during the
Saudi monarch's first ever visit to the Vatican last November.
Top Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said that a Catholic
parish in this key Islamic country would be "a historic achievement" in
the push to expand religious freedom and foster a positive interfaith
rapport. Under Benedict, the Catholic hierarchy has stepped up calls
from its Muslim counterparts for "reciprocity," demanding that the same
religious freedom enjoyed by Muslims in the West should be granted to
Christian minorities in the Islamic world. They note that Europe's
biggest mosque, built with Saudi funds, was opened in 1995 in Rome, just
across the river from the Vatican.
Pope Benedict passionately condemned last week's death of Chaldean
Catholic Archbishop of Mosul, Paulos Faraj Rahho, who was kidnapped on
Feb. 29 in the northern Iraqi city. As many as 350,000 of the 800,000
Christians in Iraq before the war have since fled the country, while
smaller but similar exoduses have occurred in the Palestinian
territories, Lebanon and other parts of the Arab world.
While Christians in those areas trace their roots to the earliest
centuries of the faith, the Catholics in Saudi Arabia are mostly migrant
workers. And the restrictions on any outward manifestation of their
religious beliefs have been particularly severe. The celebration of
non-Muslim holidays is forbidden, as is the wearing of crucifixes and
other religious symbols.
Benedict has been seen as both stumbling block and catalyst in the
search to improve relations between Christians and Muslims. His
Septempber 2006 lecture at Regensberg University in Germany on the
relationship between faith and reason, and how it might explain
religiously inspired violence, included an offensive historical
reference to the Prophet Muhammed. But after initial Muslim anger at his
remarks cooled — and the Pope made a conciliatory visit to the Blue
Mosque in Istanbul — there have been signs of a productive
Catholic-Islam dialogue taking shape. Prominent Muslim and Christian
clerics have exchanged messages expressing a mutual desire for better
understanding, and Vatican officials last month announced the first in a
series of high-level meetings with Muslims next November, which will
include an appearance by Benedict.
In little-reported remarks just three months after his controversial
speech in Germany, the Pope spoke of the challenge posed to Islam by a
violent minority within its ranks. "The Muslim world today is finding
itself faced with an urgent task. This task is very similar to the one
that has been imposed upon Christians since the Enlightenment," Benedict
said in a speech to officials of the Roman Curia. "On the one hand, one
must counter a dictatorship of positivist reason that excludes God from
the life of the community and from public organizations, thereby
depriving man of his specific criteria of judgment. On the other, one
must welcome the true conquests of the Enlightenment, human rights and
especially the freedom of faith and its practice, and recognize these
also as being essential elements for the authenticity of religion."
After Easter week, Benedict will no doubt be focusing on his next big
speech, where some of the same themes may very well recur. On April 18,
the pontiff arrives in New York to address the General Assembly of the
United Nations.
http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1723715,00.html
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My hope for you is that you have had a prayer of salvation,
and if you haven't and you want to ask Christ into your heart and life,
then I offer these words for you to repeat,
but only if your heart is sincere,
because God knows it if you're not.
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Dear God, I now know I have needed you and have
rejected your calling, so today, right now,
I ask Jesus Christ to come into my heart and my life,
and forgive me from all past sin and Lord cleanse me
from my unrighteousness. believe that Jesus was
crucified for my sin, died, and was buried according
to the scriptures. I want you forever more to be
my guide and I want to follow you as a believer.
I ask for your strength to change my heart and
my earthly ways so that I can become a better
child in your kingdom. Show me how to depend
on you in all things. ANd show me how to do
your will in my life. I thank you and pray this
prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
Mar 25, 2015, 6:05 PM