Muslim Leads Hope Pope Francis Sparks Interfaith Dialogue

[rug]

March 30, 2013 4:22 PM

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Pope Francis has inspired excitement not only among the Roman Catholic community, but also the Islamic community, because of the pope’s outreach.

As 1010 WINS’ Gary Baumgarten reported, Omar Ranginwala, New York chapter president of the Islamic Circle, said he hopes Pope Francis’ outreach leads to an important dialogue between the faiths.

“We’re hoping that we can, going forward, we can look at more social issues together and discuss them,” Ranginwala said.

Ranginwala said he is optimistic that local Catholic and Islamic leaders, as well as laypeople, will embrace the pope’s call.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/03/30/muslim-leads-hope-pope-francis-sparks-interfaith-dialogue/

Audio at link.

[Jim__]

1. Good to see you back rug. - n/t

[rug]

2. Thank you, Jim. Much appreciated.

[cbayer]

3. So far, Francis has done everything right and nothing wrong.

I thought he was chosen as a place holder, but that is clearly not the case. And he seems entirely without a secondary agenda. I hope I am not wrong.

[rug]

4. I am quite surprised too.

The test will be if he means beyond the symbolic to the substantive.

[cbayer]

5. I remain hopeful that he will.

He seem energetic and engaged beyond what I expected. He also seems completely unafraid of challenging the status quo.

He is a true Jesuit.

[MADem]

6. Maybe he was chosen as a place holder...and he's "steppin' out" as it were!

The Gerald Ford of Vatican Politics!

[cbayer]

7. Perhaps he is their trojan horse.

I wonder if they had any idea that he would head in this direction.

[MADem]

8. I read somewhere that he came in 2nd in the last election.

I'm not clued in to Vatican politics, though, so I don't know what that might mean...is he "like" Benedict, or was he the very different competition?

Time will tell, in any event. He's off to a decent start. Wish he'd have a better platform on the equality issue, but perhaps he'll change with time. Others have.

[cbayer]

9. I read that as well.

Apparently one of them went rogue and wrote a book about the last process (under an assumed name).

He seems very different than Benedict to me.

Hard to tell what his personal opinion may be about equality, but I think it's an area where it is too early for him to tread that far outside the lines.

Like you said, we shall see.