Why Catholics could learn a lot from Islam
…”So in the Catholic tradition the idea of giving something up on a Friday — the act of self denial — has always been tied with being generous to those in need.”
Ramadan, a whole month of fasting and giving to the poor, recently ended for Muslims. Is that something Christians could do more to emulate?
“You’re right to point to the Muslim community,” Nichols replies. “What many of our bishops say is that young people today — who are much more exposed and sensitive to the Muslim practice of fasting — are ready for a challenge and want a challenge by which they can be identified.” It is those youngsters who have faith that will be the lifeblood of the Church if it is to survive the ever growing secularisation of our society.
“In many ways the young are more religiously minded than the older generations,” he says. “I think it’s the flip side of an age of individualism. Youngsters are not afraid to tell you what they think, to express their faith and be quite exuberant about it. We were much more reticent and probably a bit more troubled by issues of conformity than they are.”
