The
Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue has released a
statement for the end of Ramadan, wishing a happy Eid al-Fitr to the
Muslim world and focusing on the theme of “the spiritual dimension of
the human person,” calling upon Muslims and Christians to unite in the
understanding that “cultivating the spiritual dimension makes us more
responsible, more supportive, and more available for the common good.”
The
message, signed by the council president, Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran,
conveying the council’s cordial wishes on the occasion of the end of the
Muslim holy month of Ramadan, highlighted the common ground between
Muslims and Christians in their belief that “the relationship every
human person has with the transcendent … is a part of human nature.”
The
council also stressed the recognition that the “human person is endowed
with both rights and duties,” by both communities despite and beyond
their differences.
“It is our
duty to help [younger generations] discover that there is both good and
evil, that conscience is a sanctuary to be respected,” the statement
said. The council also denounced all forms of fanaticism and
intimidation, the prejudices and the discrimination “of which at times
believers are the object both in the social and political life as well
as in the mass media.”