AUSSIE CATHOLIC PRIEST DEFENDS MUSLIM RIGHTS

Cairo, 13 Dhul Qa’dah 1436/28 Agustus 2015 (MINA) –  A Catholic priest in Maroochydore urban centre on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, has slammed new restrictions imposed by planning court to restrict hours of worship and visitor number to the city’s mosque.

“I support the Muslims in their appeal against restricted hours of worship and limits being placed on the number of visitors accessing the mosque,” Father Joe Duffy told Sunshine Coast Daily on Tuesday, August 25, On Islam quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The appeal of father Duffy followed a decision by Sunshine Coast Council to restrict the Muslim Organisation of the Sunshine Coast (MoSC) to 25 people for weekly worship services on Friday.

The Muslim community appealed the decision, demanding an attendance of 40 members twice-yearly for holiday and festival services with no amplification of music or sound.

Father Duffy said the region’s Muslims were entitled to the same level of access to their mosque as the Catholics next door, the Anglican church across the road, and the Shell service station being built opposite on the Church St corner.

As his church starts a $30 million re-development, Father Duffy said people should accept that over time Muslim migration to the region would increase significantly creating demand for a much larger mosque and a Muslim school.

He added the driving forces behind the anti-mosque movement appeared to be bigotry, hatred and racism.

Meanwhile, the Muslim Organisation of the Sunshine Coast has declined to make comment while the matter is before the court. (T/P010/R04)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)