Consider:
PEARS CYCLOPEDIA, 1996 gives the figures for adherents to
ISLAM = over 1,000 million, and
ROMAN CATHOLICISM = 1,040 million.
Now, I guess that one could quibble about the "exact" figures, but I would like to draw your attention to the following interesting points.
Islam may well be said to have commenced with the production of the Quran/Koran in 610.
The pope of the time was St Boniface IV, 608 - 615, the 67th pope.
From his time to (and including) that of the reign of Pope Pius XII there have been 192 popes - including 23 Saints and 7 Blesseds.
Despite any efforts of those 192 popes (73% of ail popes since St Peter) - despite those efforts, the Muslims have increased to over 1,000 million people. In that time - the efforts of the popes to convert the Muslims to Christianity have proven generally unsuccessful.
In fact, the matter of "Mohammedanism and conversion" was discussed at EWTN:
Quote
Question from Lynne on 07-12-2003:
Dear Mr. Bunson:
l have been reading Hilaire Beiloc's The Great Heresies and found interesting one of his comments in chapter entitled The Heresy of Mohammed. Belioc says:
"Whatever the cause be, Mohammedanism has survived, and vigorously survived. Missionary effort has had no appreciable effect upon it. It still converts savages wholesale. It even attracts from time to time some European eccentric, who joins its body. But the Mohammedan never becomes a Catholic. No fragment of Islam ever abandons its sacred book, its code of morals, its organized system of prayer, its simple doctrine."
This heresy book was first published in 1938. In the past' 65 years; since this book was published, has the Church made any advancements in converting Moslems? According to Belloc Mohammedanism is a heresy of Catholicism and its teachings are based on a simplified version of Catholicism. Because they do have certain similar teachings you would think that converting to Catholicism would be a natural progression from the Moslem faith. As an historian do you think we will ever see mass conversion of Moslems to any kind of Christian faith whether Catholic or Protestant?
Thank you.
Answer by Matthew Bunson on 07-13-2003:
Historically, the question of conversions from among the Muslim populations has been a problematic one largely because of the severe, even hardline opposition from Muslim rulers to missionary labors. Proselytizing by Christian missionaries was largely forbidden in most Muslim states, a reflection in part of the insular nature of those kingdoms or regions and also the determination to maintain the supremacy of Islam as the religion of state. There were also the longstanding resentments in the Middle East over the Crusades and the hostility toward the West in the modern era.
ln answer to your question, it is possible that conversions will take place; first, I have faith in the Holy Spirit that the hearts and minds of men and women will be led to the Catholic Church, a hope that is not specific to lslam but to all people everywhere. Second, the extreme Islamic fundamentalism that currently exists in such countries as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere, may eventually change as the ideals of democracy and religious pluralism create improved atmospheres for the Christian faith to be recognized in those regions. Honest dialogue between the Church and these countries may have a significant role to play in this, as will our constant prayers.
For the moment, however, it is, in my opinion, unlikely that large conversions will take place. The chief reason for this unlikelihood is that the countries mentioned above, as elsewhere in the Muslim world, do not permit open evangelization, in some cases have laws against conversions, and often persecute anyone caught attempting to do so. For example, under Afghan's former Taliban regime, religious freedom was severely restricted, and proselytizing was forbidden. Likewise, in Saudi Arabia, the population is Muslim and all other religions are banned. Christians in the area are workers from other countries. In other countries, religious toleration is supposed to be guaranteed by law, but this is rarely recognized in practice. 0ne of the fruits of the efforts in recent years on the part of Pope John Paul II and the Vatican's Congregation for Interreligious Dialogue has been to negotiate easing of restrictions for Church personnel to enter and work in Islamic countries. In 1997, Libya established diplomatic relations with the Holy See and, in conjunction with a U.N. embargo against the country in 1992, the government removed most limitations on entry of Catholic religious orders, especially health care workers. Clearly, more work needs to be done, but there is hope for the future.
http://www.ewtn.org/vexperts/showmessage.asp?Pgnu=1&Pg=Forum3&recnu=88number37261
So, I think any fair minded Catholic would look at the situation where, in a period of nearly 1340 years not one of the 192 popes in that period (including Saints and Blesseds) could penetrate the Muslim mind with fire and brimstone theology. Why, then, ought not the 262nd pope be encouraged to gain their trust in order to a) lighten the load of the Christian community within Islamic lands, and 2) attempt to penetrate that which has been impossible to date?
F. John Loughnan
July 16, 2003