AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Archbishop John Wester, the head of the Catholic Church in Santa Fe, New Mexico, issued a statement supporting the right of Muslims to build a new mosque and Islamic center in Albuquerque
In this statement, emphasizing that freedom of religion is the right of all people, he said that Muslims, like followers of other religions, have the right to have a place of worship and to freely perform their religious rites. Wester also stated that opposing the construction of this mosque based on anti-Muslim prejudices is incompatible with Christian teachings, and called for mutual respect, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence among followers of different religions. These remarks came after the plan to build the new mosque faced opposition from a number of local residents.
Following these remarks, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim civil rights advocacy organization in America, welcomed Wester's stance.
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