Four men of faith survey the vandalism against Connemara church

Originally published by the Galway Advertiser on November 2, 2017

Dear Editor,

After hearing the very sad and heartbreaking news of a Church that was vandalised in Clifden Co Galway I immediately went about trying to find the contact details of the Rev of the this Church in the hope that I could ring him/her to convey my condolences and sadness to hear of what I see as an unacceptable attack on a community and a faith.

And remembering the attack on our own Mosque during Ramadan and the outpouring of support by the Irish people of Galway and indeed many non-Irish. I felt a desire to also express my support to the community of Clifden and the Church of Ireland. I was not successful in getting the required details so I decided to drive to Clifden with a member of our community to see if we could meet with the Rev of that Church in Clifden.

After arriving I was able to find the name and number on the board of Christ Church in Clifden and I was able to contact The Very Revd. Stan Evans Provost of Tuam, we spoke on the phone and he thanked me for my kindness and support, but when I said ‘ I am outside your beautiful Christ Church he immediately came to see me and Dr Hamid were able to present a bunch of flowers of which he was moved and delighted to receive.

He invited us to his home for tea and we met his most kind and caring wife, who lovingly made us tea, at that moment the local Catholic Priest also came and a wonderful moment of the meeting of four men of faith.

The sad unfolding of the events of the attack on the Church was revealed to us by Revd, Evans I could not but help notice the pain and sadness in his eyes at how could anyone do this.  Tears filled up in my eyes while observing his pain, which I could fully understand and feel, but something wonderful was also happening at that moment four men of faith were sharing the pain and sadness two from the Christian faith two from the Islam faith suddenly became as one.

We were united in outrage of an attack of the most sacred place to anyone a place of worship where God was remembered, we deeply upset where that sanctuary where was God is remembered, where the altar was smashed to places, where the sacred word of God often recited. Where the Bible was thrown through the window – a bible 150 years old when I held this Bible in my hands I was extremely upset and angry how can anyone come to this level of disrespect to the sacred word of God.

Rev Evan brought us to the actual Church Trinity Church a beautiful rural Church in the most scenic area of the Connemara, a place where one would imagine if you wish to find God it would be here.

But when I entered the church to see the smashed windows, the seats where people kneel and worship, where broken and shattered the pulpit where the word of God would normally be expressed destroyed.

As I walked down the aisle I saw a bible underneath the benches I lifted the broken bench and picked up the Bible and cleaned it, with pain in my heart and placed in higher place.

With the sanctuary destroyed I looked for the brass cross normally placed on the altar in hope to do what Islam teaches – to respect all faiths and places of worship.

I hoped to do what Saladin did in the movie kingdom of heaven, to pick up the cross from the floor and place it where it belonged and restore its respect. But I learnt that it was kept safe in a small room.

Throughout the whole morning I spent with Revd Evans I saw his pain and sadness this noble servant of God, I enjoyed my morning with this man of God and reassured him I and my community the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community are with him at time of sadness and the people of Galway and Clifden stand in one voice of defiance on such attacks on places of worship treading upon the religious sentiments of people who believe in a divine being of whom we all worship but as one community and a people of faith, we will stand together. In the end, I again want to wish the people of Clifden our support and love.

Yours,

Imam Ibrahim Noonan

Imam of Galway Mosque ‘Masjid Maryam

National Imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Ireland