Nuncio to Egypt defends Pope against imam’s charges
CWN - January 10, 2011
Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, apostolic nuncio to Egypt, has issued a statement defending Pope Benedict against charges by the imam of al-Azhar Mosque that the Pontiff is interfering in the nation’s internal affairs.
Following a January 1 church bombing of a Coptic Orthodox church that left 21 dead, Ahmed al-Tayeb condemned the bombing and visited the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church to offer condolences. However, he also denounced Pope Benedict for calling upon civil authorities to protect Christians.
“I disagree with the Pope's view, and I ask why did the Pope not call for the protection of Muslims when they were subjected to killings in Iraq?” said al-Tayeb, who accused the Pontiff of “unacceptable interference in Egypt’s affairs.”
After reviewing recent statements by the Pope, Archbishop Fitzgerald said that “it is surely clear that he is not encouraging interference in the internal matters of any particular state, but that he is appealing to all, both individuals and governments, to respect the religious beliefs and practices of different communities and thus promote harmonious and peaceful societies.”
Before his appointment to Cairo, Archbishop Fitzgerald served as secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue from 1987 to 2002 and as president of the dicastery from 2002 to 2006.
Additional sources for this story
Some links will take you to other sites, in a new window.
|
An appeal from our founder, Dr. Jeffrey Mirus: Dear reader: If you found the information on this page helpful in your pursuit of a better Catholic life, please support our work with a donation. Your donation will help us reach five million Truth-seeking readers worldwide this year. Thank you! |
Progress toward our June expenses ($13,107 to go):
$30,000.00
$16,892.93
44%
56%
|
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
