Christians Under Attack

parish of Saltley believes an innovative approach is the way forward for Catholic churches to reach-out to other faiths.

The church is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and Fr Kelly believed it was the ideal time for cultural integration.

The Cavan-born priest said: "We are a minority now within a majority Muslim community. "The church has moved from where it was originally and we are now mixed with people who are not Catholic or even Christian.

"Now we are here we must work to form some sort of social cohesion. If we didn't embrace other faiths around us, it would be almost like a form of apartheid."

Parishioner Alfie Sullivan feels both communities have benefited from a closer relationship.

The 76-year-old said: "The road I live on is close to the church and there are nine Muslim houses beside me. I think we get on very well with the Muslim community there.

"The cultural integration has worked very well. The children come to the church and they always come up for a blessing. And of course in the church we have a verse on the wall from The Koran about Our Lady."

The Muslims in Britain are facing the same oppression and distrust the Irish faced in the 1970s and Fr Kelly thinks that is why the amalgamation has been so successful. He also added that unlike some religions the Islam faith has a strong respect for Our Lady.

He said: "We have something to share - a common experience. They would probably more easily relate to us than any other ethnic group.

"We have had meetings within the parish with the local Muslim mosques. It was attended by one of the local Immans who recited verses from The Koran in honour of Mary alongside the Archbishop of Birmingham.

"They have a great veneration of Mary. The Muslims see her as a very special lady because she was the mother of a prophet for them."

The parish also has a Catholic school called The Rosary School and 80 per cent of the schoolchildren in the school are Muslim.

Fr Kelly sees it as another addition to the ever growing acceptance between the diverse faiths. He said: "Muslim families are happy to send their children there and of course it's a wonderful way of understanding each other.

"We also have a centre called Marium House. Marium is the name of Mary in the Jewish Old Testament and in The Koran.

"Our endeavours demonstrate how Muslims understand what being a Christian is and they have come to respect it without leaving their own faith."

 

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