Gujranwala’s Muslim Community Is Helping The Christian Community Rebuild A Catholic Church
In a heartwarming gesture to promote interfaith harmony, the local villagers of Gujranwala have come forward to help the Christians rebuild a Catholic Church.
According to details, the church is being expanded to accommodate more worshippers. The expansion work started last November, when Father Samran Anwar, parish priest of St. Joseph’s Parish laid the foundation stone.
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As many as 50 Christian families are living in the area where the church is being rebuilt.
Talking to a foreign media outlet, Father Samran Anwar thanked the local Muslim community for financing the construction of the church.
“A church is the physical body of Christ on earth and we are the living parts of that one body because of the spirit of God. It is the physical representation of Heaven itself and the Holy Mass is celebrated in a church,” he said.
“We are glad that not only the local Christian community but also our Muslim brothers are supporting the construction work, which is a true sign of brotherhood and peace,” Father Samran added.
He further stated that the financial help from the Muslim community will never be forgotten.
“It is one of the oldest mission stations in the archdiocese, founded in 1953 by Capuchin missionaries from Belgium. This rebuilt church will be a visible sign of our identity and a shelter for the faithful. We need financial support to complete the construction work without any further delay,” Nazir Masih, a local teacher said.
A member of the Muslim community, who donated Rs 60,000 for the construction work, expressed his joy for being able to contribute to this holy cause.
“My small contribution to the House of God has filled my heart with joy which cannot be expressed in words. We [Muslims and Christians] live side by side in peace and harmony. Our community is a shining example for others,” he said