The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a statement by the Reverend John C. Wester, Archbishop of Santa Fe supporting the Muslim community’s right to build a mosque in the north valley of Albuquerque and condemning rising Islamophobia.
WATCH: Catholic Archbishop Supports New Mexico Muslims’ ‘Right to Worship Freely’
That statement reads in part:
“In recent weeks, I have heard concerns from some residents regarding the proposal to build a mosque and community center in the North Valley of Albuquerque. As Archbishop of Santa Fe and a resident of Albuquerque, I feel compelled to speak clearly and pastorally: our Muslim neighbors have the same God-given and constitutionally protected right to worship freely as every other faith community, including our own. Defending that right is not only a civic duty but a core element of Catholic teaching…
“Our Muslim brothers and sisters have faced discrimination and hostility in many parts of the country. When such prejudice arises, Catholics are called to stand beside them, not apart from them. Supporting their right to build a mosque is one concrete way to affirm their dignity and to reject the forces that seek to marginalize them.
“I encourage us all to welcome this project with goodwill. A neighborhood that makes room for the prayers of many is stronger, more compassionate, and more reflective of the values we claim to uphold.”
In a statement, CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper said:
“We welcome Archbishop Wester’s principled statement defending religious freedom and thank him for speaking out. The freedom to worship is a fundamental and inalienable right of every American and every human being. As anti-Muslim bigotry rises throughout our nation, people of conscience and faith must stand together to encourage mutual respect.”
He noted that CAIR previously welcomed a decision by New Mexico’s Bernalillo County Planning Commission to reject an appeal and allow construction of a planned Islamic center and mosque in Albuquerque’s North Valley to move forward after months of opposition that included anti-Muslim rhetoric and hostility directed at the project.
SEE: CAIR Welcomes Approval of Planned New Mexico Mosque Targeted by Anti-Muslim Rhetoric
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]