Benedictine Sisters, Muslim women’s group sponsor dialogue

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“Sharing Our Global Cultures in the Quad-City Community: Our Faith Perspective” is the title for this year’s Muslim-Christian dialogue sponsored by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery in Rock Island, Ill., and the Quad-City Muslim Women’s group.

This year’s dialogues will be held Sept. 20 and Sept. 27 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Masjid al-Ihsan (mosque), 6005 34th Ave., in Moline, Ill.

“Because of the many divisive voices we have been hearing  about the desire of a Muslim to build a community center at Ground Zero area, the committee’s members felt they wanted to raise their voices in harmony and bring people together in this wonderful way of sharing our religious rites and our family customs,” a press release states.

The evenings will share the culture, religious rituals and family customs from various countries represented throughout the Quad-City community.

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The Sept. 20 evening will be “The Milestones of Faith,” sharing the way in which people traditionally enter their faith. For Christians that is sharing the meaning of baptism. For Muslims it is sharing the celebration of a new born baby and Shahadah, the rite of proclamation of faith. Both groups also will describe the ways they celebrate weddings, funerals and burial rites.

The Sept. 27 program, “Sharing our Holidays and Customs” will focus on how Christians celebrate Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter.  Muslims will share their celebration of Ramadan (30-day fast), Iftar (meal at the end of the day’s fast) and  Eid-al-Sitr (celebration for recurring feast).

Each evening will open with a Muslim prayer and will close with the Prayer to St. Francis.  Following the presentations, the women will continue the discussion of the rites and customs of their own faith. Refreshments will follow.

The program was designed by Talia Alvi, Lisa Killinger, Farah Khan, Rosemary Schmitt, Cleon VanderVennet and Sister Catherine Cleary, OSB.

The Christian presenters for the two nights will be Nancy Flaherty of Rock Island, Ill., and Kathy Frett of Sacred Heart Parish in Moline. The Muslim Women presenters are to be announced.

This is the fifth Muslim-Christian dialogue held in the Quad-Cities. The event rotates between the mosque and St. Mary Monastery. There will be a free-will offering.

For more information or to register contact Novice Jackie Walsh at (309) 283-2108 or retreats@smmsisters.org.


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