“el-Tayeb has been imam of the al-Azhar Mosque since his 2010 election. He was elected rector of the university in 2003. He is considered a moderate Sunni who has worked to prevent Islamic radicalization.” This moderate Sunni blames the unrest in the Middle East on “world Zionism” and refuses to denounce the Islamic State as un-Islamic.
“Among the many reasons this Feb. 16 meeting is noteworthy: al-Azhar had broken relations with the Vatican in 2011. On Jan. 1 of that year, a major bombing took place in Alexandria. The attack on Coptic Christians killed 23 people. In an immediate reaction, Benedict XVI labeled the attacks as ‘terrorism’ that ‘brutally affected worshippers.’ He characterized the attacks as part of a ‘strategy of violence’ against Christians. He reiterated his concerns in his New Year’s speech to the corps of diplomats accredited to the Holy See. He asked protection for religious minorities. el-Tayeb reacted negatively to these two statements. He blamed Benedict for ‘interference’ in Egyptian internal affairs, which might result in a ‘negative political reaction’ in the East and in Egypt. Ever since, the Vatican and al-Azhar had no official ties for dialogue.”
So Tayeb broke off ties with the Vatican because Pope Benedict XVI condemned a jihad mass murder of Christians, and called on Egypt to protect religious minorities. And now Francis wants to restore “dialogue” with that same man.
How many Christians has the “dialogue” saved from Muslim persecution? How many churches has it saved from destruction?
“Pope Francis wants more dialogue with Islam. Is Egypt the key?,” by Andrea Gagliarducci, Catholic News Agency, February 25, 2016:
Vatican City, Feb 25, 2016 / 12:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- For Pope Francis, dialogue with Islam is a core issue. He recently voiced hopes to meet a major Sunni leader: the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Mosque, Ahmed el-Tayeb.
“I want to meet him. I know that he would like it,” the Pope said during his Feb. 18 in-flight press conference.
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, headed by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, is reaching out to al-Azhar Mosque
“We are looking for the way, always through Cardinal Tauran because it is the path, but we will achieve it,” Pope Francis said on his flight from Mexico to Italy.
The al-Azhar Mosque and its companion university are the most prominent institutions of Sunni Islam. Both institutions were founded in the 10th century. In 1961, the university added non-religious curricula.
el-Tayeb has been imam of the al-Azhar Mosque since his 2010 election. He was elected rector of the university in 2003. He is considered a moderate Sunni who has worked to prevent Islamic radicalization.
Father Miguel Ayuso Guixot, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, visited al-Azhar on Feb. 16 and met with the mosque’s deputy imam, Abbas Shuman. The Holy See Press Office said the two had a “cordial meeting.”
At this meeting, the priest invited the Grand Imam to meet with the Pope at the Vatican.
Among the many reasons this Feb. 16 meeting is noteworthy: al-Azhar had broken relations with the Vatican in 2011.
On Jan. 1 of that year, a major bombing took place in Alexandria. The attack on Coptic Christians killed 23 people.
In an immediate reaction, Benedict XVI labeled the attacks as “terrorism” that “brutally affected worshippers.” He characterized the attacks as part of a “strategy of violence” against Christians. He reiterated his concerns in his New Year’s speech to the corps of diplomats accredited to the Holy See. He asked protection for religious minorities.
el-Tayeb reacted negatively to these two statements. He blamed Benedict for “interference” in Egyptian internal affairs, which might result in a “negative political reaction” in the East and in Egypt.
Ever since, the Vatican and al-Azhar had no official ties for dialogue. However, Mahmoud Azab, a representative of the Grand Imam, took part in the Vatican launch of the Global Freedom Network, an initiative to counter human trafficking.
Recently, el-Tayeb has launched a multilingual satellite television broadcast. He has begun to revise education curricula in order to advance interreligious dialogue.
The dialogue with Islam is so important to Pope Francis that he elevated Fr. Ayuso to the rank of bishop. The appointment was announced Jan. 29. The bishop-designate is an expert in Islam and served as a professor in Cairo. After his ordination, his new rank will give him a major impact in his work to strengthen connections with the Islamic world, a commitment crucial to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
Cardinal Tauran and Fr. Ayuso had a private audience with Pope Francis Feb. 20. At this meeting they reported on the cardinal’s trip to Doha, the Qatari capital.
While Fr. Ayuso was in Cairo, Cardinal Tauran traveled to Qatar. There, he gave a speech at a two-day conference on the topic “Spiritual and Intellectual Security in Light of Religious Doctrines.” The conference was sponsored by the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue.
In his remarks, Cardinal Tauran stressed that dialogue among religions is needed “now more than ever.” He asked his audience to pay greater attention towards “the message they convey to the youth.” He encouraged them to be “objective and respectful of legitimate differences” in ethnicity, religion, language, culture, and other categories.
As some work to secure the visit of al-Azhar’s Grand Imam to the Vatican, Pope Francis is also working to improve dialogue with Islam in Italy. He has accepted an invitation to visit the Mosque of Rome. The visit will likely take place April 10, according to a source involved in an Islamic association in Italy.
The Holy See is not ignoring dialogue with Shia Islam. Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani visited the Vatican Jan. 26. Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, gave a lecture in Qom, Iran on Feb. 6. The cardinal said that the social teaching of the Church is the key to fostering interreligious dialogue….

balam says
Pope Francis in the picture posted is like a ‘WOLF CARRYING A LAMB {to swallow later on} ‘. Only JESUS is the GOOD SHEPARD!!!
mortimer says
Pope Francis reminds me of those first-year students who haven’t seen any of the reading list, but think they can bluff their way to a ‘C’ on the final exam. That’s Pope Francis to a ‘tee’.
Pope Francis and his coterie haven’t seen the Koran, the Sira, the hadiths, the canonical commentaries, the Sharia law manuals and the modern jihad manuals by Islamic scholars and preachers, and yet, they think they can bluff their way through international negotiations and get a ‘C’.
Guess again, Pope Francis!
Shane says
Trump understands Islam better than this Socialist Pope, and he will defend Christians much better than this loser pope. You cannot have a dialogue with a hungry snake; the snake will eat you!
The Vicious Muslim Snake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeJ-iv3MOTo&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DyeJ-iv3MOTo&has_verified=1
brenrod says
to me he looks like a senile old fool who is one of the reasons that muslims are slaughtering christians.
Carolyne says
To me, he looks like Gomer Pyle.
Vlad says
You mean to say, that this is NOT Gomer Pyle?
Diane Harvey says
Pope Loon I demonstrates yet again why he took the title of “Pope Loon 1.”
Wellington says
A greater contrast between two popes in all of papal history would be hard to find than that between Benedict XVI and Francis I. For the record, I admire the former very much and I have something bordering on complete contempt for the latter. I think myself fully justified respecting each assessment.
Mark Swan says
Yes I agree…differnt as day and night.
mortimer says
Yes, agreeing with Wellington. Pope Benedict did the reading to get the facts. Francis is lackadaisical.
However, neither pope has enough Islamic knowledge to stand up to the grand imam of Al Azhar.
They would have to do about 200 or 300 hours of reading.
Paleologos says
Well stated, Wellington.
I agree completely, except my ill feelings towards this clown pope go further than contempt, and I am a Catholic..
Benedict was my hero. This guy? I can’t wait for him to step down!
He can go back to Argentina any time … the sooner the better! He is doing a lot of damage wherever he sticks his unwelcome nose!
R/
Paleologos
Vlad says
Yep, you are right. Night and Day
Catholics need a good pope, not this bloody idiot.
Peter Charles says
Pope Francis seems to be deluded and not fully up to snuff in the mental capacity to assess evil. Please, I want a new Pope.
Kathy Brown, Esq. says
I must say: If there wasn’t a conservative, orthodox wing of the Church-which I and many Catholics inhabit? I’d be at serious risk of sliding into a prolonged clinical depression…
Happily: We are only bound to observe papal pronouncements when he speaks of ‘faith and morals’. Unhappily: Pope Francis opines on TONS of subjects, 24/7, which have nothing to do with reality. Oh puhleeeeezzzze…
Voytek Gagalka says
And now we have clear evidence why Benedict XV was ousted (forced into “retirement”) and current leftist stooge posing as a “pope Francis” become head of the RCC. Case rested and closed.
Carolyne says
There was a Pope some years ago, prior to John Paul, I think he was named Paul, who was only Pope for a few years. There were rumors that he was poisoned because his conservative way of thinking did not fit in with the prevailing Vatican opinions. I may have the names wrong but I do remember the rumors. At least Benedict was allowed to retire to Castel Gandolfo. Maybe he refused to drink the tea.
Mark Swan says
The Muslims seem to only understand the Get Way…if the Pope appears eager to allow them
a more prominent status they will accept the leg-up…but not for the reasons the Pope hopes for.
The real power Behind these events is a World-Wide effort to spread the goals of a very
calculating and determined Muslim Brotherhood…they are extremely competent and effective…
they know all about weak…medium and strong Muslim believers and have been in the business
of orchestrating cohesion for nearly a century…if one of their projects like CAIR stopped existing today…they have contingency abilities and thinking in place…they are huge and very formidable…
openly connected…and covertly busy…Huge Money is behind them…lots of powerful people
support them even if not openly…many other interests benefit and are entwined as well…which
stimulates their efforts.
Muslim Reform groups…that do exist are only trying to tone down some of Islam’s tenets…
to suite public opinion but few try to resist Its control…they face The Wall of Why it Exists
in the first place…Control of the Masses…its sole design and purpose.
This Muslim Brotherhood and the spread of Islam…is a very serious and powerful movement…with it’s experience nine decades in the rear…there are so many ways they can flow…look at Egypt…they aren’t through there or any where else…they are very pervasive…very determined.
Where opportunity shows the most promise…the most effort is expended…influence through infiltration
of all walks of life…the very open and benign societies are finding this out too late it seems…they may be destined to try levels of resistance that would not have had to be applied had they simply caught it up front and tried to divert it then.
It appears that the time is right for their efforts and they will continue to strike while the iron is hot…
this appears to be even more threatening than any past movement to control the masses…they may
not really think they can get it all…but We can believe they will take what they can get.
KrazyKafir says
Would Pope Karl the 1st glean anything from the response. Hardly.
Ginger says
Pope Dope seems more than anxious to help the Muslims achieve their foremost ambition – to conquer Rome.
celticwarriorcanada says
” Peter has spoken through Leo ” Will Pope Francis , like his Predecessor Leo The Great ; discuss with the Muslim leaders the Doctrine of The Two Natures of Christ as Described in Leo’s Tome and The Council Of Chalcedon ? HIGHLY UNLIKELY ! Will he Discuss The Athanasian and Augustinian Definition of The HOLY TRINITY ? HIGHLY UNLIKELY !!! So then Just What The Hell will they talk about ? I’m not sure ? But I’ll Guess it sounds like this : Islam is a Beautiful Wonderful Religion with a Great History and Culture . It is Greatly Misunderstood By Many Roman Catholics and Christians who Need to respect it , BECAUSE ITS GOD IS REALLY THE SAME GOD AS CHRISTIANS AND JEWS WORSHIP !!! P.S. Your GUESS IS AS Good As MINE !!!
John Galt III says
Pope ELOI XXIII
he will get fleeced all right.
RiseAKnight says
I really got a kick out of this statement; “el-Tayeb has been imam of the al-Azhar Mosque since his 2010 election. He was elected rector of the university in 2003. He is considered a moderate Sunni who has worked to prevent Islamic radicalization.”
Here is the difference between a radical Muslim and a moderate Muslim … The radical wants to kill you. The moderate wants the radical to kill you.
JoGoDant says
The reason Tayeb refuses to denounce ISIS as un-Islamic is because he thinks groups of Muslims declaring each other un-Muslim is one of the problems that led to the creation of groups like ISIS.
billybob says
You never know. He may hit it off with his Islamic counterparts. He may be a charming man and may establish a warm relationship, then maybe – who knows? We know! Nothing can change whatsoever, because no Imam is going to go against the Quranic teachings, no matter how like like the Pope. The Pope need only think – what if the shoes was on the other foot, and he was asked to deny the divinity of Christ or that Jesus died on the cross? He couldn’t possibly! I just don’t understand what this fool thinks he can accomplish… well, he may accomplish some token in return for surrendering his honour and integrity and submitting to the superiority of Islam. This is treason what the Pope is doing, and I am sure there are dark forces gathering among the bishops to impeach him or worse.
Kathy Brown, Esq. says
Alas my dear Billy! If only the USCCB HAD a majority of conservative bishops! Not to ‘impeach’ the Pope; but just to issue a sensible statement of some kind, responsive to the [hideous] reality of islam!
Think of the present papacy-and college of cardinals and US Catholic Council of Bishops-as a vast lib university. The professors are all leftist to varying degrees, with the odd few conservative holdouts.
Now as in the universities, there are some ‘true believers’, the utterly radical fringe. Then there are those who just blend in; and even those who aren’t at all left, just trying to keep their job by not speaking out.
Trouble is: We understand that the present univ. system is utterly nuts; but now their tyranny has spread to all areas of society in the form of PC. We would have hoped that the Church would exempt itself from such lunacy, but with our Social Justice Pope Francis, it’s just another babbling [non] think tank.
The aforementioned describes the lib Church. There is also the conservative wing, which doesn’t buy into the crazy at all. Indeed: Quite the reverse.
van says
Extract that I take exception to:-
“…How many Christians has the “dialogue” saved from Muslim persecution? How many churches has it saved from destruction?…”
It is not the role of the Church to deal with terrorists. There is no Catholic military to deploy.
Church and state are not entwined. This isn’t the middle ages. The Catholic Church can’t launch a crusade, that is America’s job now.
It is the USA and its allies (Caesar) that has the responsibility to defend the West.
Our Holy Father can and should take a position of peacemaking (dialogue) with nutcases. You don’t provoke the insane, you try and calm them down.
Don’t assume that Catholic’s are suffering delusions regarding the threat of Islam because our Pope speaks in calming and soothing rhetoric.
Pope Francis’ approach is appropriate for his position and within his scope as leader of the universal church.
A plea to the US Secretary of State: Recognize anti-Christian genocide
http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/US.php?id=13331
Kathy Brown, Esq. says
Sorry Van: Equating the murderous religion of hell with ANY other religion is not ‘appropriate’ or ‘calming’.
Francis is a social justice nutcase which, to me, renders him utterly unreliable.
Now if he’s pronouncing on faith-and-morals, I’m his obedient daughter. Anything else? He’s very, very dumb.
van says
Kathy, being disrespectful and sneering at the Pope just diminishes you and any argument you might have.
What is it that you are relying on the Pope to say or do? Do you want him to say something provocative to elicit some kind of violent response from such people?
Pope Francis is very, very smart and good man who approaches social issues within his scope as leader of the universal church. I would also suggest that his comprehension of world affairs is well above that of the majority of people commenting here.
If you are after a military leader, look to the president.
Tommo says
After Islam the Catholic church is the most corrupt religion on the planet. The Vatican and Islamic leaders have much in common. They tell the world how their beliefs are paramount to any other and that their religion is the one true faith guided by the hand of God/Allah. The truth is that both religions are full of sexual deviants and perverts and run by old men who know how to manipulate the facts and control the thinking of their followers. In Islam by violence and in the Catholic church by the confessional..
Champ says
True! And “Spotlight” won best picture. My husband and I watched this movie last night, before The Oscars were on, and I can certainly see why it won best picture of the year. A must see. It’s very enlightening.
TH says
It might be enlightening but the very opening scene is pure fabrication. It s based on sccurrulous reporting by the Boston Globe which has had an anti-Catholic bias for decades. Do you know that the Boston Globe promoted a writer who was in favour of fathther/daughter incest? Are you aware of Hollywood’s supine hypocrisy when it comes to sexual abuse and rapte by the likes of Roman Polanski, Woody Allen and Bill Crosby. If you are not aware of any of these and other facts about the matter at hand, I invite you to click the following link and get some facts. You may also find the following book in Amazon:
http://www.themediareport.com/2013/11/26/false-accusations-catholic-priests/
http://www.amazon.com/Sins-Press-Untold-Reporting-Catholic/dp/1511852593 This book is based on articles published in the Boston Globe.
You may not know that many people negatively affected by being misrepresented in Stpotlight are looking into sueing for damages.
http://www.amazon.com/Double-Standard-Scandals-Attack-Catholic/dp/1453730699
All that glitters is not gold, especially when it comes to HOLLYWOOD HYPOCRISY.
Champ says
You need to consider that your response to this movie is PREPOSTEROUS and shameful.
The arguments you’ve presented PALE in comparison to the *fact* that innocent children have been sexually abused — which is horrific — and all you want to do, here, is point out the opening scene and that Hollywood is evil, and the other things you’ve mentioned. ARE YOU KIDDING?! Your stupid arguments do not even deserve even a second thought.
You should be ashamed of yourself. And clearly you are on the WRONG SIDE of this issue. Again — for shame.
This movie may have the opening scene wrong and ok Hollywood is evil — but so the hell WHAT.
The movie “Spotlight” exposes is a very serious and grievous SIN, and THAT’S what *truly* matters here.
End of story.
van says
As with many tragic events, good has come out of the ‘spotlight’ on the Church such that Catholic schools are the safest place for kids to get an education and have access perhaps the last bastion of christian culture.
Not only have governments and media ignored the issue across the rest of western society but so called modern society has made the west even less safe for kids with truly bizarre steps towards a complete refutation of natural law – redefining marriage, the family, gender, adoption laws, planned parenthood, etc. There is nothing ‘modern’ about this, it is a return to pagan times where children were not protected from predators – full stop.
Western society has decayed to a point where other cultures – Islam primarily – sees an opportunity to make gains from western cultural carnage.
What we are witnessing now is the death throes of western civilization as Islam dines out on the scraps.
If you don’t know who you are, rest assured some Iman will tell you.
Constantinople – Instanbul
New Amsterdam – New York – ‘New Arabia’ (in maybe less than 50 years)
For those who are able to bite their lip rather than hiss in indoctrinated anti-catholic bigotry, read this:
http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2016/01/spotlight-on-the-vulnerable
Angemon says
1000 years, give or take, to add non-religious curricula to a university. Well, not “a” university but THE university. But remember: if you don’t believe that islam is science-centric you’re a bigoted, racist islamophobe.
jura says
Unlike his Italian, Polish and German predecessors, pope Francis simply does not understand what the democratic and secular state is good for. Where could he learn to understand that? In Argentina?
DFD says
Strange. I’m not a catholic, yet I feel an incredible nostalgia, NAY! A intense, nostalgic yearning for a real Pope – like Pope Urban II. And other popes who followed his good example.
If they come up with a pope like that… I could convert to Catholicism. Hmh, I’d probably be in a hurry to do so.
Kathy Brown, Esq. says
My dear friend: There is no mystery about the feelings you state.
The ‘yearning’ you reference stems from the fact that the story of Western Civilization is the story of the Roman Catholic Church. And it would be hard to think of a time when this fact was more self-evident. Since 9/11 we in the west have been horrified by the muslims, yes?
That is because that’s what ‘civilization’ looks like w/o all the western things we take for granted: A God so loving, so ‘involved’ that He becomes man and comes to earth to redeem us. Us being made in His image and likeness. The Gospel’s counter-intuitive message-love your neighbors; share; lose your life and you save it, etc., etc.
The contrast between the Judeo-Christian ethic and the blood-soaked vicious perversions of islam? One word: Stark.
DFD says
To: Kathy Brown, Esq.
Thank for your little sermon, I actually enjoyed that and you emotions behind it. Quite beautiful.
Now let me point put please: I AM A CHRISTIAN, AND PROUD OF IT.
To clarify: when I said “convert”, that was a bit tong in cheek. I was raised Protestant, but have given up on denominations.
DFD says
Now let me point put please
Sorry, typo… should have come out as:
Now let me point *out* please
E. Maria Villa says
Either Francis is very nieve or an impostor to think he can actually dialogue with the Devil. Francis took the name of a great saint, St. Francis who actually went to the Middle East to convert the Muslims, not to break bread with them and NOT to pray with them! Doesn’t this pope know that by praying with heretics is not Christian!
DFD says
E. Maria Villa says: “….Doesn’t this pope know that by praying with heretics is not Christian!”
Of course he does. Politics, politics.
Have a look at the traitor kissing the sicko’s book
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=pope+kissing+quran&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiwu8PEsJ_LAhUCKg8KHV2qAEEQsAQIIw&biw=1346&bih=607&dpr=1.25#imgrc=efw9exbNkHDDOM%3A
What do you think, how many of the filth present were kissing the Bible?
Father Agathon says
The Pope is a political leader. The Vatican City is a State. They do not represent Christ, Christianity, the Church of Christ. So-called Western and Eastern Christianity are in apostasy. The true Christians of the 21st century are the new martyrs, those who are martyred for Christ and not for a Pope, a Patriarch, or any other Christian denomination which has betrayed the Gospel. Christ Church does not have need for cowards, politicians, business men, diplomats, traitors. He has the New Martyrs, His Church is built on their blood.
DFD says
Father Agathon says: “…The true Christians of the 21st century are the new martyrs, those who are martyred for Christ and not for a Pope, a Patriarch, or any other Christian denomination which has betrayed the Gospel. Christ Church does not have need for cowards, politicians, business men, diplomats, traitors. He has the New Martyrs, His Church is built on their blood.”
INDEED! Again: INDEED!
And the filth calls these true Christians Nazarenes. Their symbol is the letter “N” (ن), the filth smears it on their doors, marking them for torture and slaughter. They use the letter now in defiance as their mark and symbol. Even children of theirs were, and are beheaded, mutilated and literally crucified by the filth. For being steadfast and not rejecting Jesus! Despite they were told that if they reject Christ, and accept the ‘religion’ of the filth, nothing will happen to them – they refused and accepted torture and death instead.
In the US their refugee status is rejected, (by the #’;’..’ filth in the White House) then they/ are deported back for torture and murder.
I gather from you writing that your handle (Father Agatho) is not meant to be humoristic. So, pray that they get weapons and whatever else they need — including our help. But even in here, in this and other such groups, something as little as verbal support is denied! Instead, most poster refer to them as ‘cowardly dhimmies’.
Salute Friend
PS: I was raised Protestant but have given up on denominations
Kathy Brown, Esq. says
The Pope does ‘represent Christ and Christianity’ to millions of Catholics all over the world Father. This has been so for 2,000 years since Our Blessed Lord founded the Church and created our first Pope, St. Peter. He did this while He was personally present here on earth.
But when Catholics are martyred-by the muslims now, by others in the past-they do not die ‘for the Pope’. Neither do Protestant Christians similarly situated die for Pastor Falwell or for Pat Roberts. Consider: Since the Resurrection, millions and millions of people have laid down their lives for Christ. Would even ONE of those martyrs been sufficiently motivated if their god was a mere man?
No: We, and they, die for Christ because He truly is God, the Christ, Our Redeemer. Our denominational identifications are all secondary to that.
Kathy Brown, Esq. says
Most welcome my friend.