World News
Trustees back pastor's decision not to sell convent to Muslim group
Published:
NEW YORK (CNS) -- The board of trustees of St. Margaret Mary Parish on Staten Island backed the pastor in his decision to withdraw support for the planned sale of the parish convent to the Muslim American Society, which wanted to use it as a mosque. Father Keith Fennessy had announced in June that after careful consideration, he was withdrawing his support. The parish trustees voted July 21 to ratify the pastor's decision. News of the proposed sale to the Muslim group had sparked protests in the community of Midland Beach, where the parish is located. Residents said the mosque would cause traffic and parking problems and was not suitable for the neighborhood. Many also expressed fear that the Muslim American Society was linked to a terrorist group. A July 22 statement from the archdiocese said that "the Muslim American Society has been informed that the sale of the convent will not take place." The statement said that the archdiocese "has enjoyed a good relationship with the Islamic community in the past, and looks forward to continued dialogue, friendship and understanding in the future. It is also our prayer that unity will now return to the parish and to the Midland Beach community," said the statement. The Muslim American Society, in a statement, said it was "disappointed" by the decision, which "reinforced an unfortunate notion that the pressures of bigotry and Islamophobia triumphed over a good, long-standing relationship between the archdiocese and the Muslim community."
Copyright (c) Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .
