Bonn (dpa) - Germany bishops said Monday that Catholic religious instructors must avoid holding joint "multi-religious" prayer meetings, where Muslim and Catholic children pray as one in schools.

A parent-teacher group had earlier clashed with Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, over joint prayers. Advocates claim these are equivalent to last week's visit by Pope Benedict XVI to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul where he prayed silently among imams.

Stefanie Uphues, spokeswoman for the German Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Monday in Bonn that Meisner's ruling was not in conflict with broad church policy, which accepted Catholics and Muslims praying simultaneously, not as a joint act of worship.

She said, "Muslims have told us themselves that as far as they are concerned, each faith is saying its prayers separately in this situation." Bishops believed children would not grasp this distinction, and should therefore not be sent to joint prayers.

Many of Germany's state schools offer courses in Catholic religion. There have been calls for them to introduce courses in Islam for Muslim pupils as well, but this has not yet begun.

Humane Schule, a parent-teacher group with 700 members which campaigns for liberal schooling, called the ruling incomprehensible. © 2006 DPA


Publication date: 11 December 2006   

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