Muslims and Christians from Burnley visit Rome
February 2008
The pilgrimage of ministers, imams and faith leaders, male and female, was organised by Building Bridges in Burnley, which works to increase understanding and cooperation between the faith communities.
The group visited the Anglican Centre at the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj on 30th January – the first inter-faith group to do so according to Rev. Sara MacVane, Assistant Director, who welcomed everyone. She was deputising for the Director, Bishop John Flack whose time in office concluded that same week. She spoke of the ecumenical dialogue that had taken place over the last forty years between the Centre and the Vatican and how that experience might shed light on the more recent inter-faith dialogue.
Rev. Khaled Akasheh, Head Officer for Islam at the Vatican’s council for Interreligious Dialogue, told the group about the numerous international meetings which are held on a regular basis between Catholics and Muslims. He said, “What you are doing in Burnley, by transforming a crisis into an opportunity, gives hope and joy to others”.
Two canons of Blackburn Cathedral were members of the party (contact details below.)
Hamid Qureshi, Director of Building Bridges and Chair of the Lancashire Council of Mosques said, “This visit has helped people of different traditions to appreciate the complex background to our beliefs and cultures. We have seen how the history of the three mono-theistic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, has evolved in the Eternal City from classical times to the present day.”
Bea Foster, Methodist, Voluntary Sector Coordinator Lancashire County Council, said, “During this pilgrimage we have spent a whole week living together, and got to know one another in a way that we do not normally experience at home. It has deepened our friendships so that we can work more effectively as faith communities for the good of Burnley”
Fr. Michael Waters, RC, St John’s Catholic Parish, Bracewell Street, Burnley, BB10 1TB.
Tel: 01282 423824
Building Bridges in Burnley, 2 Clegg Street, Burnley, BB10 1AX.
Tel/Fax: 01282 838555
Participants:
Abdul Hamid Qureshi, Director of Building Bridges in Burnley and Chairman of the Lancashire Council of Mosques.
Mobile: 07931 762 283
Beatrice Foster, Voluntary Sector Coordinator Lancashire County Council,
Mobile: 07786 197063
Sher Ali Miah, Bangladeshi Welfare Association & College Advisor,
Imam Mohammad Iqbal, Ibrahim Masjid
Rizwan Iqbal, Director of the L & E Foundation,
Mrs. Shahida Iqbal, Partnership Manager Lancashire Forum of Faiths,
Rev.Thomas Bill, Canon of Blackburn Cathedral & Rector of St. Peter’s Parish Church, Burnley. Tel: 01282 413599. Email:tom@tombill.entadsl.com and tom.bill@lineone.net.
Mrs Kathleen Bill, St. Peter’s Church of England, Tel: 01282 413599.
Rev. Peter Hapgood Strickland, Canon of Blackburn Cathedral & Vicar of St. Andrew’s C.of E. Burnley. Tel: 01282 423185. Email:standrews@marsdens.net
Catherine Howley, Consultant for Community Cohesion,
Joanne Marshall, Senior Lecturer University of Cumbria,
Rosie Edwards, Project Development Manager Burnley Community Farm,
Deborah Rolland, Society of Friends