Among the U.S. Muslim leaders present at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center on April 17 was Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, director of the Islamic Society of Orange County and chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America. Siddiqi said he urged the Pope to help establish permanent dialogue between the two faiths.

"There was a very positive response from the Catholic side," Siddiqi told InFocus.

Siddiqi also called on the pope to use his influence to "bring stability to Lebanon. He said he would do his best," Siddiqi said.

Some Muslim leaders declined to take part in the meeting, including Salam al-Marayati, executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. He said the event seemed "more ceremonial than substantive" and said he was disappointed that no time was made in the pope’s six-day trip for even a brief private meeting with U.S. Muslim leaders.

"It would have been a good opportunity for him to have a dialogue," al-Marayati said.

Many other U.S. Muslim leaders expressed similar concerns about the pope’s approach to Islam, but took part in the gathering, saying the two faiths should do everything possible to improve relations. Muslims and Roman Catholics each have more than 1 billion followers worldwide.

"Our going there is more out of respect for the Catholic Church itself," said Siddiqi. "Popes come and go, but the church is there."

American Muslims are unlike any Islamic migrant community Benedict has encountered in Europe. Many Muslims came to the United States for higher education and are now professionals — academics, business people, physicians and engineers — who are settled in the wealthier suburbs.

Siddiqi, who is also co-chairman of the West Coast Muslim-Catholic Dialogue, applauded the pope for organizing a meeting at the Vatican this coming November with Muslim religious leaders and scholars, as part of a push for more dialogue between Catholics and Muslims.

In the meantime, Siddiqi said it is important to continue the interfaith discussion at a local level.

"Many people [within the Muslim community at large] don’t understand the importance of this," Siddiqi told InFocus.

Associated Press Writer Rachel Zoll contributed to this report.