Ramadan: German Catholic bishops call for respect of Islam

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference on Tuesday called for mutual respect for Muslims in Germany ahead of the start of Ramadan.

“There should be nowhere at all where human dignity is not respected. In this regard, it is irrelevant whether someone belongs to the same religious community,” conference chairman, Reinhard Marx, wrote in a letter of greeting to Germany’s large Muslim community.

While not all religions were the same, God accorded the same dignity to all people, the cardinal said.

“As the faithful, we should work for humanity to see itself as a family of God’s creation and that we show mutual respect and honour.”

The fasting during Ramadan, which starts Wednesday, also offered the opportunity to sharpen the senses in a time of fast living, Mr Marx said in conveying blessings in the name of Germany’s Catholics.