Interfaith talk set on Jesus and Mary

BY KATE BLAIN
ASSISTANT EDITOR

How do two different faiths see Jesus and Mary?

The Muslim-Catholic dialogue committee of the Albany Diocese will explore that topic in a panel discussion June 5.

The dialogue will feature Imam Mokhtar Maghraoui of Masjid al-Hedayah Mosque in Troy and Rev. James Belogi, pastor of St. Madeleine Sophie Church in Guilderland.

Who are they?

Although they come from disparate faith traditions, the pair hold Jesus and Mary in high regard as religious figures.

"Jesus, for me, is Lord and Savior -- and, of course, Mary is the disciple par excellence," Father Belogi told The Evangelist.

Imam Maghraoui noted that, "from our perspective as Muslims, Jesus -- peace be upon him -- and Mary, his mother, are the two greatest figures. Jesus is a special emissary of God to his people and the word, the spirit of God, whom he breathed into Mary. Mary is the greatest woman of all the world."

The imam even went further, calling this "a matter of faith" and asserting that Muslims should not "reject the notion that Jesus is the Christ and, [regarding] Mary, God chose her, preserved her purity as a reward for that, and brought her a pure child."

Coming together

Father Belogi admitted that Catholics do not have a deep understanding of such Muslim beliefs and views.

For his part, Imam Maghraoui believes that most Muslims are unaware of the encouraging statements about Muslim-Catholic relations made by the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s in a document titled, "Nostra Aetate" ("In Our Time").

In that, the imam said, Muslims "are missing a sincere opportunity to bring us further together, to make the bridges between us easier to cross."

Mutual respect

Through continued dialogue, Father Belogi hopes to build more of those bridges. Previous discussions between Muslims and Catholics in the Diocese have been "filled with mutual respect and a desire to grow in our understanding," he said, and further dialogue "would be a wonderful learning opportunity."

"Our relationships should be more serious, loving and friendly than they have been so far," Imam Maghraoui stated.

("Jesus and Mary: A Muslim-Catholic Perspective" will be held June 5, 7-9 p.m., at St. Clare's Church in Colonie. The panel discussion, which is free and open to the public, is co-sponsored by the diocesan Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, and the Muslim community of the Capital District.)

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