May 31, 2019
To our friends in the Muslim community in the Regina area,
As-salāmu ʿalaykum! Peace be upon you. Greetings to you on the feast of ‘Id al-Fitr.
It is a great pleasure to greet you as you end the Ramadan fast and share in the feast of God’s bountiful gifts. I pray that this time has been a blessing to each of you.
This year, as we have together grieved the loss of life at mosques in New Zealand, synagogues in Pennsylvania and California, and churches in Sri Lanka, we have been drawn closer in our mutual commitment to peace and to the end of racial and religious intolerance.
I write to you, not only with my own personal greetings and those of the Archdiocese of Regina, but also with the official message of Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in Rome on behalf of the whole Catholic Church worldwide.
Bishop Guixot reminds us of the recent visit of Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Ahmed el- Tayeb to Abu Dhabi and their “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.” There is much in this document that can be a foundation for dialogue between our two communities. I hope that we can find ways over the coming months and years to introduce our communities to one another and to promote healthy interaction and joint service for the common good.
Again, heartfelt greetings and much joy to you and to all Muslims in the Regina area as you mark the feast of ‘Id al-Fitr.
Sincerely yours,
Most Rev. Donald Bolen
Archbishop of Regina
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina
