Ecumenism taken too far? Catholic priest worships with muslims to mark Eid-Ul-Fitr

Assistant Parish Priest of the St. Mary Catholic Church, Asamankese, Rev. Fr Martin Delali Attitson, together with some parishioners, joined the Muslim community in Asamankese to celebrate the end of Ramadan on the day of Eid-Ul-Fitr.

Pictures shared on the official Facebook page of the Parish show the priest in worship with the Muslim community.

Many have described the gesture by the priest as a bold step of religious tolerance and ecumenism. But, others say the priest went too far with that.

“Life ankasa is simple!!! Worship your God in truth and complete faith, and let not religion divide us!! Go to Israel today and see if you’ll find Christians taking religion personal like you guys in Africa do!! Africa and overdo,” a comment under the post by the Catholic Church said.

“What’s the Catholic priest aim? Does it mean Catholics can join Muslims for their worship moments?” another comment said.

” Exactly my thoughts!. I get he’s being friendly, but what’s he bowing to?” another opposing view asked.

Ecumenism in the Catholic Church

Ecumenism in the Catholic Church is the movement towards unity among all Christians. The Catholic Church has been promoting ecumenism since the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, which emphasized the need for Christians to work together to promote peace and unity.

The Catholic Church recognizes the importance of dialogue and collaboration with other Christian denominations in order to promote mutual understanding and respect. The Church also acknowledges that there are many areas of common ground among different Christian traditions, such as a belief in the Holy Trinity and the importance of prayer.

The Catholic Church encourages its members to engage in ecumenical activities such as joint prayer services, dialogue sessions, and shared social action projects with members of other Christian traditions. It also seeks to collaborate with other Christian denominations on issues of common concern, such as social justice and human rights.

However, the Catholic Church maintains that there are certain aspects of its faith that are essential and cannot be compromised, such as the belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the authority of the Pope. Nevertheless, it continues to promote dialogue and collaboration with other Christian traditions while respecting the differences that exist between them.