A Muslim religious leader chanted Islamic prayers from the Koran as he often does at the Voorhees Islamic Center mosque in the U.S. state of New Jersey. But Thursday’s event was far from the usual prayer ritual.

Sitting near Muslim leader Imam Riyadh Thabata that night was the head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden, Bishop Dennis Sullivan, and other diocesan priests. In the audience, Muslims and Catholics sat side by side.

They gathered for a ceremony praising the new Agreement of Understanding and Cooperation that promotes respect and love between the two religious communities and establishes the Catholic-Muslim Commission of Southern New Jersey.

“Christians and Muslims should live in peace with one another, and as bishop, I support the commission’s work,” Sullivan said in addressing the mosque gathering.

Rahman acknowledged that since 9/11, Americans have not always viewed Muslims in a positive way. She recalled local opposition to the the mosque and that the diocese and other religious groups came to its defense.
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The official Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church declares:

“841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims. ‘The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day’.”

That Vatican II Council declared the following:

“The Church regards with respect the Muslims, who worship the One, Living, Subsistent, Merciful, Almighty God who created the heavens and the earth, who spoke to men. They strive to submit wholeheartedly to God’s commandments…even as Abraham submitted himself to God, whose obedience is often recalled in the Islamic religion. Although they do not recognize Jesus as God, they do venerate him as a prophet and they honour his virgin mother, Mary…. They await the Day of Judgment, when God will reward all those risen from the dead. They hold in high regard the moral life and worship God,particularly by prayer, charity and fasting.”

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