Former Catholic Church in St. John’s to Become Mosque

A former Catholic church in St. John’s, the Mary Queen of Peace, is being converted into a mosque by the Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, CBC news reported. President Haseen Khan expressed excitement about the new space, which will accommodate the growing Muslim community, now numbering around 10,000, up from just 100 in 1989. The church’s renovations include removing pews and filling the choir pit to create a suitable area for Islamic prayer.

The mosque will have a capacity of 2,500, significantly larger than the previous facility, which could only hold 500. Volunteers from various backgrounds are helping with the renovations, and the association plans to preserve church artifacts in an archival room.

Father Paul Lundrigan, a former priest of the church, expressed joy that the building will continue to serve as a place of worship. “It’s going to be used again as a house of worship for God,” he said, highlighting the shared values between the faiths. The new mosque is expected to be ready for upcoming Eid celebrations.