Portuguese cardinal warns against marrying Muslims

Lisbon, Portugal, Jan 16, 2009 / 11:31 am

The Patriarch of Lisbon, Cardinal Jose Policarpo, warned the women of Portugal this Wednesday of the problems that can arise from marriage with Portuguese men of the Muslim faith.

During an interview with Portuguese Radio and Television, Cardinal Policarpo addressed the thorny issue of growing Muslim immigration on the Iberian peninsula and the resulting increase in mixed marriages.

“I suggest caution with love. Think twice before marrying a Muslim, think about it seriously,” he said, adding such unions invite a host of problems that “not even Allah knows where they will end.”

The cardinal warned against Muslim beliefs regarding women and pointed out the lack of dialogue with Muslims in Portugal.

“It is only possible to dialogue with somebody who is open to it. For example, dialogue with our Muslim brethren is very difficult,” he said, although he did express hope over “small advances” that have been made recently.

Part of the problem with dialoguing with Muslims, he explained, is that Portuguese Catholics “know very little about their own faith and much less about the beliefs of others.”

“If we want to dialogue with Muslims we need to understand their concept of life and their faith. Therefore, the first thing is to get to know them better and then show them respect,” the cardinal said.