Another Critic of Pope Francis’ Removed?
Jesuit Father Samir Khalil Samir, 79, a specialist in Islamic studies who used to teach in Rome has unexpectedly been re-assigned to Cairo, Egypt.
According to La Fede Quotidiana the transferal came as a surprise as Fr Samir had already agreed to his usual summer stint in a German parish. La Fede Quotidiana points out that Samir has been critical of Francis’ controversial views on Islam but was highly appreciated by Benedict XVI.
When Pope John Paul II kissed the Quran in May 1999 Father Samir said that this "was a shock for many Christians in the Middle East. They thought it meant that the Quran is divine, which is of course not what he meant at all".
Picture: Samir Khalil Samir, © Peter Potrowl, CC BY-SA, #newsFaxbaboyuo
According to La Fede Quotidiana the transferal came as a surprise as Fr Samir had already agreed to his usual summer stint in a German parish. La Fede Quotidiana points out that Samir has been critical of Francis’ controversial views on Islam but was highly appreciated by Benedict XVI.
When Pope John Paul II kissed the Quran in May 1999 Father Samir said that this "was a shock for many Christians in the Middle East. They thought it meant that the Quran is divine, which is of course not what he meant at all".
Picture: Samir Khalil Samir, © Peter Potrowl, CC BY-SA, #newsFaxbaboyuo