Renovation motivated by university’s “Catholic mission”
The university announced recently that the Basilica of the Sacred Heart would be renamed “Our Lady’s Arch-Mosque of the United States” and renovated accordingly. In an email to the student body, the Office of the President emphasized the importance of accepting all cultures and being a welcoming place to every student. The email read, “Motivated by our Catholic mission, the University of Notre Dame is committed to building bridges between all faith communities and ensuring access for all students to worship according to their liturgical customs.”
This is not the first time a prominent Catholic church has been converted to Islam. See, for example, the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople or the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. Notre Dame, feeling for a long time left out of this trend, has finally decided to join the movement.
The movement to convert the Basilica was led by a group of students and faculty called “Catholics for Islam.” The group, whose name some opposing voices call “oxymoronic,” has been operating on campus for only six months and was recently promoted to an official club. The Rover sat down for an interview with Maria Mohamed, leader of “Catholics for Islam.”
Mohamed told the Rover, “I found out recently that you can justify anything if you say it’s motivated by a Catholic mission. … The term is so broad it can literally mean anything.” She continued, “I was especially inspired by ‘Catholics for Choice.’ If ‘Catholic social teaching’ can be used to promote abortion, then converting infidels under a Catholic banner should be no problem.” She went on, “Once we figured out our angle, it was smooth sailing.”
When asked about the difficulty of beginning a new official club, Mohamed told the Rover, “SAO made the process extremely easy! We felt very supported the whole time.”
Professor of Islamic studies and Christian tradition, George Mohammad, told the Rover in an email, “It is in the spirit of ecclesiastical ecumenism and in honor of Jesus’ cultural roots as a Middle Eastern man that we undertook this change.” Mohammad went on to say, “Allah and the Prophet Mohamed, peace be upon him, look up kindly at this new mosque.”
One priest, Fr. Peter Mahomed, said in a recent sermon at the Basilica Mosque, “Jesus calls us to repentance, and repentance means changing the direction of your life and where you are looking for happiness. That happiness comes from inclusion.” He added that, since the best way to spread the Gospel is by including others, we must include Muslims in the life of faith here on campus.
The mosque grounds will be officially consecrated by a local Imam, also named Mohamed, in February. Although Catholic leaders of the university requested to be present at the ceremony, they were not permitted. When asked whether this went contrary to the mosque’s spirit of inclusion, Fr. Mohamed told the Rover, “It’s fine when they do it.”
Demolition of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart is expected to begin next week and renovations will continue through the 2027-28 academic year. The university hopes for construction to be completed in time for Ramadan in 2029.
Caleb “Mahommed” Vaughan is a junior studying chemical engineering. To join the Catholics for Islam club, email him at cvaugha2@nd.edu.
Subscribe to the Irish Rover here.
Donate to the Irish Rover here.