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Catholic bishop backs new mosque in Venice
LifeSite News ^ | September 21, 2026 | Gaetano Masciullo

Posted on 09/22/2026 8:39:50 AM PDT by ebb tide

Catholic bishop backs new mosque in Venice

Patriarch of Venice Francesco Moraglia said Muslims have a ‘right’ to a suitable place of worship and called for ‘continued dialogue’ to alleviate ‘tensions’ with Muslim migrants.

The Catholic bishop of Venice, Italy, backed the construction of a mosque in the historic city.

On September 14, Archbishop Francesco Moraglia, Patriarch of Venice, expressed support for the proposed construction of a mosque in Mestre, the mainland district of Venice, calling for a place where Muslims can worship – provided that the project respects “Italian law, the Constitution, and women’s rights.” Moraglia also called for dialogue between the authorities and the local Muslim community.

“We all have the right to have a suitable place in which to pray,” Moraglia said. “There is a right to religious freedom, and there is a right to expect that all religions respect the fundamental rights of every person, especially the most vulnerable. I am thinking in particular of women.”

“There is a need to distinguish politics from religion without separating the two,” the Patriarch of Venice concluded.

The proposed mosque concerns the Muslim community in Mestre, including the local Bangladeshi community. The project became the subject of disagreement between the community and the Municipality of Venice. City authorities said they are open to dialogue but have also called for evidence of genuine integration before authorizing the project.

READ: Archbishop Cordileone warns of AI’s dangers as USCCB creates tech task force

However, in Italy, and particularly in the Veneto region, tensions have grown amid large-scale immigration in recent months. There is a widespread perception of rising crime and urban disorder associated with a segment of the immigrant population, primarily from Africa and Asia, and often of a Muslim background. Many local residents also believe that law enforcement and the judiciary have not responded adequately to the crimes.

The district of Mestre recently became the center of public debate after a controversy at a local school, the Caio Giulio Cesare comprehensive institute. Data released in recent days show that students without Italian citizenship make up as much as 98 percent of the student body in some sections within the school. According to reports in the local press, tensions in the school between the Italians and mostly Bangladeshi immigrants has contributed to a significant turnover among custodial and administrative staff. The situation is further complicated by a significant language barrier, with many migrant students and their families having little or no knowledge of Italian.

During the night of September 17-18, a banner reading, “Your integration is our marginalization,” directed at the families of immigrant students, was hung outside the school. The incident prompted swift condemnation from labor unions, left-wing political groups and associations, as well as social activist organizations, but also from the local Catholic church.

On September 19, the Patriarch of Moraglia issued a statement after anti-Islamic inscriptions appeared at the park where Muslims gather to pray and outside the Giulio Cesare school. He described the atmosphere in the city as increasingly marked by “tension, aversion and intolerance” and called for “continued dialogue.”


TOPICS: Catholic; Ecumenism; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: anticatholicpinglist; backedcivilrights; backeditalianlaw; blasphemousbigot; deliberatemisquote; gotoconfession; jackchickpinglist; libelisamortalsin; liesitenews; nostravomitus; pimpmyprotestantsect; religousplurality; stoplying; suicide; vcii

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1 posted on 09/22/2026 8:39:51 AM PDT by ebb tide
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To: Al Hitan; Fedora; irishjuggler; Jaded; kalee; markomalley; miele man; Mrs. Don-o; ...

Ping


2 posted on 09/22/2026 8:40:21 AM PDT by ebb tide (Our Lady, Co-Redemptrix and Mediatriax of All Graces pray for us.)
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To: ebb tide

Make nice and hope they eat you last.


3 posted on 09/22/2026 8:42:21 AM PDT by No Party Affiliation (The)
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To: ebb tide

These morons will keep “dialoging” right up until their throats are cut.


4 posted on 09/22/2026 8:44:29 AM PDT by hinckley buzzard ( Resist the narrative. )
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To: ebb tide

> “We all have the right to have a suitable place in which to pray,” Moraglia said. <

Over one million Christians live in Saudi Arabia. Perhaps someone should ask the archbishop to explain why there is not a single Christian church in that country.


5 posted on 09/22/2026 8:45:51 AM PDT by Leaning Right
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To: ebb tide

Remember when Catholic bishops were actually Catholics? I used to like that Church.


6 posted on 09/22/2026 8:48:20 AM PDT by Antoninus (Confusion and disorder to the Left.)
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To: ebb tide

May the ghosts of the Doges rise up from their moldy crypts and strike with Saint Mark at the defilers of that ancient bastion of civilization.


7 posted on 09/22/2026 8:50:34 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: No Party Affiliation

> Make nice and hope they eat you last. <

I think they’re even dumber than that. These fools actually believe that Muslims and “infidels” can peacefully coexist. Well, that’s true only up until the time Muslims get the upper hand.

Muslims call non-Muslim land the “land of war” (dar al-harb). Let that sink in for a moment.


8 posted on 09/22/2026 8:50:39 AM PDT by Leaning Right
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To: ebb tide

Let’s be frank, Frank. MoFos are not interested in dialogue. Study history and current events worldwide.


9 posted on 09/22/2026 8:50:56 AM PDT by PGalt (Past Peak Civilization?)
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To: ebb tide
"Your integration is our marginalization"

Well, frankly, they aren't integrating!

Regards,

10 posted on 09/22/2026 8:51:29 AM PDT by alexander_busek (Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.)
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To: ebb tide

Muslims’ reaction is akin to Hitler’s reaction after Munich 1938.

“Our enemies are little worms, I saw them in Munich.”


11 posted on 09/22/2026 8:53:51 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: dfwgator

Good analogy.


12 posted on 09/22/2026 9:05:55 AM PDT by Leaning Right
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To: ebb tide

When churches and shuls are permitted in Islamic countries and Christians and Jews can worship unmolested, then allow mosques.


13 posted on 09/22/2026 9:06:19 AM PDT by JimRed (TERM LIMITS, NOW! Finish the damned WALL! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH! )
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To: All

I could be wrong, but it doesnt sound like an allout endorsement of the mosque to me.


Archbishop Francesco Moraglia, Patriarch of Venice expressed
support for the proposed construction of a mosque – but that:
<><>the project must respect “Italian law,
<><>abide by the Constitution,
<><>and recognize women’s rights.”

Moraglia also called for “dialogue” between the authorities and the local Muslim community.


14 posted on 09/22/2026 9:10:00 AM PDT by Liz (“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies the work of His hands. " (Psalm 19:1))
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To: hinckley buzzard

Unfortunately.


15 posted on 09/22/2026 9:13:29 AM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: ebb tide

Suicidal empathy.


16 posted on 09/22/2026 9:16:28 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: ebb tide

Does it ever cross these guys’ minds that they just might be encouraging and signing off on a building of Satanic worship? And they’re ok with it? What were they taught in the seminary? I mean God supposedly speaks directly to them, you’d think that would come up. He doesn’t even speak to me like they say He does to them and I know that mosques are Satanic. Guess they gotta go to Saudi and see and feel the “love” for themselves.


17 posted on 09/22/2026 9:28:04 AM PDT by mikey_hates_everything
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To: ebb tide

Just another Step....
.
Adios Muchacho.


18 posted on 09/22/2026 9:29:18 AM PDT by Big Red Badger (Good SCIENCE is Not Faith BUT Curiosity. )
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To: ebb tide

Suitable worship place? How about at Chernobyl.


19 posted on 09/22/2026 9:59:49 AM PDT by Mouton (There is a new sheriff and deputy in town now! )
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To: ebb tide; Cronos

‘Gay Mafia’,
‘6th Century Barbarians’
and
‘Intergalactic Overlords
Powered by AI’
.
And We Have
The Unholy trinity of
“The One World Universalist!”
.
You’re ‘Church’ is toast.


20 posted on 09/22/2026 10:21:39 AM PDT by Big Red Badger (Good SCIENCE is Not Faith BUT Curiosity. )
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