Who Are We?

Convivium, 3 February 2017

Editor in Chief Father Raymond J de Souza delivers a moving reflection on the mosque murder that occurred earlier this week in Quebec City and examines the corresponding themes of solidarity and identity this tragedy asks us to consider. 

The burials began yesterday, and it was likely the first time most Canadians had ever seen Islamic funeral rites. It was an impressive witness of prayer from the Muslim congregation gathered at Montreal’s Maurice Richard hockey arena.

Canada’s political leaders conducted themselves admirably in the days after the massacre at the mosque in Sainte Foy, a suburb of Quebec City. Premier Philippe Couillard acknowledged that there are “demons” within Quebec society, but did not confuse the demons with the demos , as if the killer somehow represented all Quebeckers.

At the beginning of the week there was a brief, moving speech by Elizabeth May, the leader of the Green Party, in the House of Commons. (We look forward to hosting her at our Ottawa office next week for our formal launch of the digital Convivium .) Rising the day after the shooting and visibly pained, she spoke of her solidarity with those murdered: “Today, we are all Muslims…we are Canadians.”

Read more at Convivium:
https://www.convivium.ca/articles/who-are-we