Patrick J Mcinerney, Editor
Number 60 September 2013 EDITORIAL In June I was one of ten Catholics from around the When Cardinal Tauran presented me to the Pope as a world to participate in the Islamic-Catholic Liaison Columban priest from Australia, I said “Your Holiness, Committee in Rome. Established in 1995 by the I too have come to Rome from the end of the earth!” Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) and At this, the Pope burst out laughing and said, “Yes, but The International Islamic Forum for Dialogue (IIFD) this from the other part!” was the Committee’s nineteenth meeting. I feel enormously privileged to have shared a joke with Cardinal Tauran, President of the PCID, headed the the Pope and given him a laugh. Filling the shoes of the Catholic delegation, which included staff from the fisherman is an awesome responsibility. Hopefully, our PCID and the Pontifical Council for Culture, Maronite very brief, humorous encounter lightened his day. Bishop Paul Rouhana from Lebanon and professors from the Pontifical Gregorian University, the University But for me it was also a profound moment. Pope Francis of Notre Dame and the World Council of Churches. is a man of the people, for the people. He enjoys The Muslim delegation was meeting ordinary people led by Prof Dr Hamid Bin and taking pleasure in Ahmad Al-Rifaie, President the ordinary things of life. of the IIFD and included Like his namesake, he is academics and religious humble and simple in his leaders from Doha, Dubai, openness to people and Ireland, Italy, Morocco and in his deep concern for Saudi Arabia.
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