Muslim Group in Corsica Donates €10,000 for Pope’s Visit

The association "Les bienfaiteurs marocains de Corse" expresses its fraternity towards the Christian community. Informed of the online fundraising campaign launched to prepare for the arrival of Pope Francis in Ajaccio on December 15, it has mobilized and donated 10,000 euros to the island’s diocese, reports Franceinfo. "I called him (Cardinal Bustillo) on the phone and he informed me that an online fundraising campaign had been launched. We met with the people of the association and we said to ourselves that we too would do something," says Miloud Mesghati, president of the association, assuring that he maintains "good relations" with the high Catholic dignitary of Corsica.

Mesghati will emphasize: "By this gesture, we also wish to show people that we are here, that we are also part of the Corsican people and that we participate in the island’s economy, notes Miloud Mesghati. Especially since Morocco is the first Muslim country to have welcomed the Pope, John Paul II, in Casablanca in 1985." In a press release, "Les bienfaiteurs marocains de Corse" state that "this gesture represents a bridge between our communities, a bridge that testifies to our common humanism and our ability to transcend cultural and religious differences".

"Beyond clichés and artificial divisions, there is a universal ideal: that of a world where each individual can reach out to his neighbor, where communities, whatever their beliefs, move forward together towards a more supportive future," added the president of this association, which has 135 members.