A vigil service to remember the lives lost in two mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand was held in Lac La Biche last Monday night. Organized by the Lac La Biche Muslim Association and other religious groups in the area, the event drew more than 300 people to the Bold Center’s Devon Room.
A message of compassion for the victims — and for each other — were the main focus points of the event that featured speeches from the Imam of Lac La Biche’s Al-Kareem Mosque, the president of the regional Metis Nation of Alberta, as well as clergy members from the Lutheran, Catholic and Evanglical Free churches in the community. Representatives from the area’s law enforcement also attended the meeting to offer words of strength to the Muslim community and all residents.
The Lac La Biche area has been noted as having the largest percentage, per capita, of Muslim people in Canada.
“Tonight we all stand together against hatred and violence,” said Lac La Biche Muslim Ladies Association president Mysoon Tarrabain.
Imam Mohamad Abdel Wahab told the community members who gathered that skin colour and religion should mean nothing when it comes to sharing compassion.
“You see people here tonight at this place, are here regardless of the colour, or what religion they follow or what language they speak,” he said, urging the residents to see each other as one. “These criminals, or I should call them terrorists, they want us to live in a cocoon — but fortunately, the more they try, the more we come together. The more they try, the more we get to know each other.”
Following the presentations, many of those in attendance mingled, speaking to presenters and others at the event.
“We are all citizens of the world,” said Lac La Biche County Mayor Omer Moghrabi, and all children of God, and we are stronger together than apart.”
Organizers of the vigil hope the messages from similar events taking place worldwide will help those dealing first-hand with the tragedy that resulted in the deaths of 50 people as they gathered at two mosques on their Friday prayer day.
The Imam said the tragedy is unimaginable — but it won’t halt his mosque’s continuing invitation to all community members.
“I am stretching out my hands for the Islamic Centre. Our gates will never be closed,” he said.
Christchurch, New Zealand authorities have one man in custody facing murder charges in connection with last Friday’s gun attack on two mosques during Friday prayers in that city. Officials say the man was part of a white-supremicist movement. Others were arrested at the same time as the shootings, but the one man is the only person still in custody.
Lac La Biche's Lord of Glory Lutheran pastor Jailyn Corbin told the crowd at the vigil that love should be universal. She also apologized on behalf of all Lutherans for the treatment of Muslims in the past.
New Zealand is 19 hours ahead of Alberta in world time zones. The decision to host Monday’s vigil was first discussed at Friday prayers in the Lac La Biche mosque.
