Father Gary says that the number of those who have entered into full communion with the Church has grown to nearly 30 each year. And the pope's visit to St. Louis is seen as a great opportunity for the students, some of whom don't always agree with his teachings. They are going out to see him because this is an historical moment. The pope presents a perspective on God and faith that is universal. They want to see our shepherd.
Islamic scholar can compare Catholic views on papal authority, sacraments, etc.
Other issues he can discuss include comparative ritual practices, such as the absence of sacraments in Islam, and Islamic iconoclasm. Karamustafa has been a member of the Washington University faculty since 1987, when he earned his doctoral degree in Islamic studies from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. His publications include a monograph on ascetic movements in medieval Islamic mysticism, a study on a 16th-century mystical text in Ottoman Turkish, and a book on early Sufism in Asia Minor. He is active with Islamic communities on campus and in St. Louis. As one of the nation's leading experts on immigration law and policy, Legomsky is available to discuss papal calls for increased world attention to the plight of refugees.