West Coast Catholics, Muslims Discuss Shared Values

July 6, 2007

Source: The Tidings

http://www.the-tidings.com/2007/070607/dialogue.htm

Catholic and Muslim leaders from several West Coast states met May 21-23 to discuss common values reflected in the biblical tale of Joseph --- called the prophet Yusuf in the Quran, the sacred book of Islam.

The meeting, designed along the lines of a spiritual retreat, was held at the Mary and Joseph Retreat Center in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. A press release giving the highlights of the gathering was released June 19 in Washington by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The story of Joseph is told in the Bible in Chapters 37-50 of Genesis and in the Quran in Surah 12. Participants found that sharing a reading of the Hebrew Scriptures and the Quran helped them approach those ancient texts in a new light.

They identified common ground in understanding virtues exemplified in the story of Joseph: fidelity, forgiveness, family relationships, integrity, loyalty, perseverance, patience rooted in trust in God, astuteness, compassion and wisdom.