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<h1 class="gmail-art-title">French archdiocese gives money to build large mosque</h1>
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<span class="gmail-art-date">Fri Apr 23, 2021 - 1:46 pm EST</span></div><div class="gmail-single-art-date"><span class="gmail-art-date"><a href="https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/french-archdiocese-gives-money-to-build-large-mosque?utm_source=LifeSiteNews.com&utm_campaign=b4d3ce93b2-Daily%2520Headlines%2520-%2520U.S._COPY_783&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_12387f0e3e-b4d3ce93b2-401828513">https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/french-archdiocese-gives-money-to-build-large-mosque?utm_source=LifeSiteNews.com&utm_campaign=b4d3ce93b2-Daily%2520Headlines%2520-%2520U.S._COPY_783&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_12387f0e3e-b4d3ce93b2-401828513</a></span>
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<span class="gmail-author-name gmail-author-name-lg">By Jeanne Smits, Paris correspondent</span><br>
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<hr class="gmail-author-divider"><br></div><div class="gmail-single-article-author-lg gmail-col-sm-2">TOURS, France, April 23, 2021 (<a href="https://www.lifesitenews.com/">LifeSiteNews</a>)
— Vincent Jordy, recently named archbishop of Tours in the center of
France, has been forced to publish a statement <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">after</span><b><span style="background-color:rgb(207,226,243)"> declarations by a
local Muslim leader revealed</span> that <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">the Catholic diocese</span> has given funds
for the construction of a large mosque</b></span>, and that <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>these funds can be said
to have been financed by<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> </span></b><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">the “denier du culte”: </span><b><span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">parish contributions
given by Catholics in the diocese </span>for <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">its</span> upkeep and operating costs</span>.</b></span></div><div class="gmail-col-sm-10"><div class="gmail-article-text-wrapper gmail-single-article-body">
<p><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>The story </b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>broke ten days ago</b></span> <a href="https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/tours/la-mosquee-de-tours-attend-son-toit-son-dome-et-des-dons">when a local newspaper, <em>la Nouvelle République</em></a>,
published a story for the beginning of Ramadan on April 13, with
comments by t<span style="background-color:rgb(208,224,227)"><b>he president of the Muslim community of the department of
Indre-et-Loire in the Loire valley</b></span> explaining that the new Grand Mosque
of Menneton was not yet ready to receive the Muslim faithful, in
particular in its areas destined for public worship.</p>
<p><span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>Salah Merabti,</b></span> talking about COVID restrictions that will prevent the
faithful from “breaking the fast” in communal dinners at their present
mosque, <span style="background-color:rgb(208,224,227)"><b>said he hoped that next year, works will have been completed in
the new building,</b> f</span>or which €4 million euro (nearly $5 million) have
already been spent. 2 million euro worth of funds are lacking at present
to pay for the roof, the dome, and sealing work. The construction
project is already several weeks or months late because of COVID-19, and
now the price of building materials has risen steeply, compromising the
Muslim community’s ability to finance future contracts.</p>
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<p>It was at this point that <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>Merabti spoke about those who had helped or
are still helping with the funding of the project:</b></span> “In Paris, I met <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>the
boss of Coca-Cola Algeria </b></span>who gave us the sum of €150,000 for the roof.
This is exceptional. We also received <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>gifts from elected officials of
the [Tours] metropolis, from the Jewish community of Tours, and from</b><u> <b>the
diocese,</b> f</u></span>or the worshiping area of the mosque. This is a great
comfort.”</p>
<p>The story <a href="https://www.riposte-catholique.fr/archives/158956">was picked up</a>
by the independent Catholic website “Riposte-Catholique,” which asked:
“Are we to understand that<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b> parish funding of the church</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>has been
diverted for</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>the needs of the Muslim community? </b></span>This is a question that
should be put to the accounting office of the diocese.”</p>
<p>The diocese of Tours ordinarily receives a yearly global budget of
some €1.6 million through parish contributions, compared to yearly
operating costs of about €6.7 million, for which Sunday collections,
gifts on the occasion of weddings and funerals and Mass intentions also
provide.</p><div class="gmail-ctr-text"><div class="gmail-subscribe-form-ctr gmail-subscribe-form-wrap"><form class="gmail-lsn-newsletter gmail-subscribe-form-revised gmail-run-validator" method="post" action="/"><div class="gmail-form-group email">
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While the diocese had a comfortable sum of nearly €9.5 million <a href="https://www.journal-officiel.gouv.fr/document/associations_a/389912312_31122019">stashed away at the end of 2019</a>,
its financial situation has been badly affected by the COVID-19 crisis,
leading to a dramatic appeal from Bishop Jordy this month. He
underscored<span style="background-color:rgb(208,224,227)"><b> </b><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">the “total decrease” of Sunday collections since the
measures to contain the pandemic began, as well as an almost total
decrease of contributions on the occasion of some sacraments and of
parish funding; even gifts for Mass intentions have declined “very
significantly,”</span></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> he deplored. J<u>ordy <a href="http://diocesedetours.catholique.fr/etre-chretien/donner/,">asked all the Catholics of his diocese to chip in</a>, adding that this was “vital".
</u></span></div></div></form></div></div></div></div></div><p>Under these circumstances, the timing of Salah Merabti’s expression
of thanks to the Archdiocese of Tours could hardly have been more
unfortunate, especially when it was picked up by <em>Riposte catholique </em>and commented on in social media, and questions followed to diocesan officials.</p>
<p><span style="background-color:rgb(208,224,227)"><b><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">Bishop </span>Vincent Jordy published a statement </b></span>on April 15, only two days
after the news of diocesan funding for a mosque in Tours broke:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="background-color:rgb(207,226,243)"><b>In 1996, during the visit to Tours of Pope Saint John Paul II, </b></span>as
subsidies were almost non-existent, the diocese had launched an appeal
for donations to ensure the funding of this reception. On this occasion,
<span style="background-color:rgb(208,224,227)"><b>the Muslim community of Tours wished to make a symbolic donation. In
return, the diocese of Tours wished to make a similar and symbolic
donation on the occasion of the launching of the Tours mosque project
more than 15 years ago.</b></span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>He added (in a largely incomprehensible phrase that appears to put
Christian and Muslim celebrations on a par):<span style="background-color:rgb(208,224,227)"><b> “As Christian communities
live in the light of the Easter celebrations and Muslim communities have
entered the period of Ramadan, this reminder allows us to measure up to
our lives as believers.”</b></span></p>
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<p>It therefore appears that the archdiocese’s donation for the
construction of a Muslim place of worship actually took place under
Jordy's predecessor, and quite a long time ago. <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>But local Catholics are
asking for explanations: <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">why were</span> they <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">not informed of</span> <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">this donation</span>?</b></span>
How much was given for the visit of John Paul II by the Muslims, and was
an equivalent sum donated for the mosque? What did the bishop mean by a
“similar” and “symbolic” gift? <a href="https://www.leforumcatholique.org/message.php?num=915617">One member of a Catholic internet forum wrote</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>As for the ‘reminder’ of a donation made by a Muslim community of
Tours in 1996, 25 years ago, for the visit of John Paul II, which would
justify a donation in return today, it is a complete joke. I don’t know
why this Muslim community wanted to make this donation, if it is true,
but in any case, this Muslim community has never financed the building
of a church. The fact that the Tours diocese wants to appear as one of
the financiers of the Tours mosque marks the end of its existence as a
Catholic diocese. Let it apologize to its donors, if it still has the
strength.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>Other Catholics underscored</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>that is one thing to help pay for the
visit of a Pope to a local community, and another to fund the
construction of a lasting place of worship</b></span>. Such criticism has of course
been fueled over the last years after a number of Islamic attacks hit
France, including the cutting of the throat of an old priest, Fr.
Jacques Hamel, while he was celebrating Mass, and another terrorist
attack on Catholics in a church in Nice at the beginning of last year.
But even without these tragic incidents, the presence of a growing and
vital Muslim community in France, which benefits from local
“anti-discrimination” laws, has led to fears and tensions.</p>
<p>It is a sign of the times that<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b> </b>last year, president Emmanuel Macron
joined a Muslim feast celebrating the end of Ramadan in June, but did
not even send Christmas or Easter wishes to French Catholics in the last
few months.</span></p>
<p><span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>Questions were also raised about the diocese’s <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">right to use </span>funds
given by Catholic donors<span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"> for an object that is so obviously distant from</span>
t<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">he reasons for which they were given</span></b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">.</span> The faithful contribute to the
financing of Catholic worship in all its dimensions, including the
upkeep of parish churches and diocesan buildings, and income for
diocesan priests — not the funding of places of worship for other
religions. The diocesan association of Tours official statutes
laconically recall that its funds are to cover “the upkeep of worship.”
Catholic worship, of course…</p>
<p>A local Catholic complained: “If I had wanted to fund the
construction of a mosque, I would have done it myself directly.” Another
remarked: <span style="background-color:rgb(208,224,227)"><b>“John Paul II went away, but the mosque will remain.”</b></span></p>
<div class="gmail-form-row3"><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>This is not the first time that a French diocese has given money
donated by the faithful towards Islamic interests. The rebuilding of an
Islamic place of worship that was destroyed by arson was helped along to
the tune of €5,000 by the diocese of Auch (southwest France) in 2015.
<span style="background-color:rgb(249,203,156)">“Charity knows no borders,”</span> explained the local Bishop</b></span>, Maurice Gardès,
at the time. This donation also triggered a wave of criticism, leading
the diocese to state later that it had also given €12,000 for persecuted
Christians in the Middle East. <br></div>
<p>At least the diocese of Auch publicly announced the gift when it was
made. The news led to a sharp decline in parish funding donations. In
the Catholic weekly <em>Famille chrétienne</em>, a specialist of Islam, Annie Laurent, <a href="https://www.cath.ch/newsf/le-diocese-dauch-contribue-a-la-reconstruction-dune-mosquee/">also underlined the danger of relativism</a>
linked to such participation in the building of Islamic mosques in
France: <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>“The Koranic message aims to discredit<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"> the great Christian
mysteries of the Incarnation, the Trinity, the Redemption, the
Resurrection of Jesus, </span>etc.,” <span style="background-color:rgb(208,224,227)">she wrote.</span></b></span></p>
<p><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>In May of last year, <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">the diocese of Bordeaux</span> called on<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"> local
Catholics</span> to give generous donations to the local mosques’</b></span> social
benefit funds account in order to help “sub-Saharan students living in
Bordeaux and its surroundings.” Due to COVID restrictions, four local
mosques had asked for money to pay for food packages for destitute
Muslims who would otherwise have joined meals at the mosque. Such food
aid is obviously on another level than the funding of places of worship,
but at the same time <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>the Catholic diocese of Bordeaux has recently
multiplied events together with Islamic dignitaries that go beyond
humanitarian gestures, such as when a local imam, Hassan Belmajdoub,
known for having invited radical preachers to his mosque, was asked to
speak in a Catholic church in November 2017 on the theme: “Encountering
the other in all sincerity.”</b></span></p>
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