After more than two years of pandemic-era postponements, Cardinal Blase Cupich and Chicago-area Islamic leaders were reunited this week at a breaking of the fast marking the beginning of Ramadan and in anticipation of Holy Week.
A long-standing tradition between the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, the annual Muslim-Catholic Iftar dinner was back in person this year following two years of COVID-19 interruptions, said Irshad Khan, chairman of the Council.
“This tradition goes back 23 years, and the last few have been virtual, so we really felt the presence of God. … It was so spiritual having everyone together again, breaking bread,” Khan said.
Exclaiming “Ramadan Mubarak!” — blessed Ramadan — Cupich asked Muslims and Catholics to join during Tuesday’s iftar dinner “in a moment of silent prayer for the suffering people of Ukraine.”
“We need each other, grounded in faith and our respective religious practices, to meet the challenges of a post-pandemic world that is becoming more fraught with divisions and acrimony,” said Cupich, the event’s guest of honor.
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“As Christians enter into Holy Week on Sunday and Muslims enter more fully into the holy month of Ramadan, let us together imagine a future filled with peace, hope and joy,” Cupich said.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is revered as a sacred and holy month for 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide, and includes fasting, engaging in spiritual reflection and taking part in charitable deeds, a council spokesperson said.
The Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which started April 2, coincides with the Catholic tradition of Lent and upcoming Holy Week, including Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, a Saturday Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday.
Daniel Olsen, the archdiocese’s director of ecumenical and interreligious affairs, said that as a child growing up in a small town in Wisconsin, he “didn’t know any Muslims.”
Years later, he observed that many religious values and traditions are common to both Muslims and Catholics, which he said “breaks down some of the misunderstanding.”
“Catholics are now in Lent, which is all about prayer, fasting and almsgiving, and that’s exactly what my Muslim friends are focused on during Ramadan,” Olsen said.
“Understanding those connections are impactful to people, which is why we began our outreach and partnership between Catholics and Muslims,” Olsen said.
Among the traditions shared by the two religious groups are a commitment to social justice, including supporting homeless people, immigrants and refugees. The Islamic Council was among several organizations supporting Afghan refugees in Illinois earlier this year when resettlement agencies had reached capacity.
Reflecting on the theme of kindness at Tuesday evening’s iftar — the evening meal when Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset — Cupich said, “One cannot be kind in theory. Kindness flows out of a generous response to another in the present moment.”
“Encountering others where they are in their life journey, as Pope Francis often reminds us, is an essential first step in creating the foundation for enduring relationships,” Cupich said.
“Collectively, we can do more to bring about change for the good than any one of us can do alone,” he said.
The gathering also included reflections from Sheikh Rizwan Ali, imam and religious director of the Islamic Center of Naperville, who underscored the message of unity, kindness and compassion.
Maggie Slavin, 32, a high school biology teacher from Chicago, said she has long admired Cupich, and as a Muslim, was excited to have the chance to hear him speak at Tuesday night’s iftar dinner.
“Everything has become so polarized now, so it was really lovely to have Muslims and Catholics sitting down together, and being together in person,” Slavin said.
“We might not have the same religion, but we all believe in kindness and compassion, and have so many similarities that many people don’t realize,” Slavin said.