Update on Pope Francis’ Human Fraternity

A “higher committee” was recently established in Abu Dhabi to implement the document “Human Fraternity” that was signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam Ahmen el-Tayeb of Al Azhar (Cairo, Egypt) in the UAE back in February, 2019.  The goal of the committee is to help implement “the shared vision of developing initiatives and ideas to foster tolerance, cooperation and coexistence.” 

Committee Members

Catholics

Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue

Monsignor Yoannis Lahzi Gaid, Personal Secretary of Pope Francis

Muslims

Prof Mohamed Hussein Mahrasawi, President of Al-Azhar University

Judge Mohamed Mahmoud Abdel Salam, Advisor to the Grand Imam;

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

Dr Sultan Faisal Al Rumaithi, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders

Yasser Hareb Al Muhairi, Emirati writer and media personality. 



Pope Francis later expressed his gratitude to the UAE for its work to establish the “committee.”  He states,

“Although sadly evil, hatred, and division often make news, there is a 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.”

Bishop Athanasius Schneider has been and continues to be critical of the document “Human Fraternity” and has even expressed his concerns to Pope Francis.  Thus, it is not surprising that Schneider has also become unfavorable and unsympathetic towards the “general assembly” and its goals.  He has asked Pope Francis to clear up ambiguities in “Human Fraternity.”