WASHINGTON—Archbishop Blase J. Cupich of Chicago,
Catholic co-chairman of the National Catholic-Muslim Dialogue, issued the
following statement on the report Danger
& Dialogue: American Catholic Public Opinion and Portrayals of Islam,
recently published by Georgetown University’s Center for Muslim – Christian
Understanding.

Full statement follows.

A Statement from Archbishop Blase J. Cupich Catholic Co-Chairman of the National
Catholic-Muslim Dialogue

The report “Danger & Dialogue: American Catholic
Public Opinion and Portrayals of Islam,” recently published by the Bridge Initiative, a research project on Islamophobia based
in Georgetown University’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim –
Christian Understanding, raises serious questions about how Catholics
view their Muslim brothers and sisters.

The findings demonstrate the urgent need to cultivate
positive dialogue with members of other faith traditions, something that was
strongly advocated by the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council in their
document Nostra Aetate.

Experience has shown that when people of different faith
traditions build personal relationships and engage in dialogue to learn about
one another; they develop the capacity to work together; and they come to
appreciate the positive elements in one another’s traditions.

Conversely, when there is no attempt to learn more about
one another, we see an increase in the tendency to be negative about those who
are different from ourselves.

This diminishes all of us, as we face increasing
incidents of religious intolerance across the globe.

No one should dismiss the real threats that some Muslims
who embrace a radical ideology, such as the members of the Islamic State,
present to people of all faiths.

That is why it is now even more important to promote
ongoing encounter, dialogue and education between our two great faith
traditions.

It is incumbent upon Catholics to recognize and raise up
the positive voices from the Muslim world who clearly reject violence by
practicing and teaching an Islam of peace, compassion and mercy. As Nostra
Aetate teaches, with them we should “make common cause of safeguarding and
fostering social justice, moral values, peace and freedom.”

—

Keywords: U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops, USCCB, Archbishop Blase J. Cupich, National Catholic-Muslim Dialogue, Muslim,
Islam, Christian, encounter, Nostra Aetate, dialogue, religious intolerance,
Islamic State, social justice, peace, freedom

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Norma
Montenegro Flynn
O: 202-541-3200

Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops