"Catholic and Muslims are called to be instruments of love and harmony among believers, and for humanity as a whole, renouncing any oppression, aggressive violence and terrorism, especially that committed in the name of religion, and upholding the principle of justice for all." This is one of the 15 points of the final declaration of the first Seminary organised by the Catholic-Muslim Forum which opened on November 4 in Rome and finished today at the Gregorian University during a public session in which the declaration was read. The first point was on the conception of love in the two religions. "For Christians," reads the declaration "the source and example of love of God and neighbour is the love of Christ for his Father, for humanity and for each person" and "love is the foundation of all commandments;" for Muslims, "as set out in ‘A Common Word’ (an open letter sent to the Pope by 138 Muslim scholars a few months ago, ndr) love is a timeless transcendent power which guides and transforms human mutual regard;" "this love is prior to the human love for the One True God." Catholic and Muslims agree on the concept that human life is a most precious gift of God to each person. It should therefore be preserved and honoured in all its stages”. (continued)
