Two years ago, Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyib, signed the “Document on Human Fraternity” in Abu Dhabi.  In doing so, they emphasised the importance of building ‘a culture of peace’ and a renewed commitment to Saint Pope John XXIII’s Nostra Aetate. This week, Edmund Rice College students from the 2 unit Studies of Religion class experienced this lived expression of the culture of peace, attending the Malek Fahd Islamic School with ISRA, to experience Ramadan with our Muslim brothers and sisters, joining them for iftar, breaking of the fast meal.  As well as enjoying a delicious meal, students experienced Qur’an recitation, observed and participated in the congregational prayer, talks on Ramadan whilst meeting and chatting to Muslims.  To paraphrase the words of Pope Francis, although sadly evil, hatred and division often make news, our students emphasised and experienced “the hidden sea of goodness that is growing and leads us to hope in dialogue, reciprocal knowledge and the possibility of building, together with the followers of other religions and all men and women of good will, a world of fraternity and peace”. 

Mrs Woolnough

Senior Studies of Religion Teacher