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Doha – The “Bienfaiteurs Marocains de Corse” (Moroccan Benefactors of Corsica) association has donated €10,000 to assist the island’s diocese in organizing Pope Francis’ visit to Ajaccio on December 15th, according to France 3 Régions.
The association, which has around 100 members, wished to express its fraternal support for the Christian community in Corsica through this gesture.
Miloud Mesghati, the president of the association, explained that they have always had good relations with Cardinal Bustillo and wanted to contribute when informed about the online donation campaign.
“We met with the people of the association and said that we too were going to do something,” Mesghati stated.
Each member of the association contributed according to their means to reach the total sum of €10,000. “Through this gesture, we also want 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,” Mesghati emphasized.
He also noted that Morocco was the first Muslim country to welcome Pope John Paul II in Casablanca in 1985.
The association sees this donation as a means to remind people that values of fraternity, respect, and dialogue unite them.
The association’s donation aligns with the values King Mohammed VI has consistently advocated for, such as moderation, balance, and combating extremism, as highlighted in his July 2023 speech to Morocco’s Ulema.
In a social media post, the Moroccan Consulate General in Bastia praised the association’s initiative, stating: “This gesture is in line with His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s desire to promote moderate Islam and intercultural and interreligious dialogue. The association calls for the construction of a humanism that goes beyond borders and barriers, encouraging understanding and peace among all.”
Read also: Pope Francis Commends King Mohammed VI’s ‘Spiritual Leadership’
“Beyond clichés and artificial divisions, there is a universal ideal: that of a world where each individual can reach out to their neighbor, where communities, regardless of their beliefs, move together towards a more united future,” the association stated in a press release.
Cardinal François-Xavier Bustillo launched an appeal for donations to help finance the papal visit. The Moroccan Benefactors of Corsica responded to this call in a spirit of solidarity and universal friendship, considering their contribution as more than just material aid.
“It represents a gift between our communities, a bridge that testifies to our common humanism and our ability to transcend cultural and religious differences,” the association members explained.
They also highlighted that their donation is “above all a testimony of love and fraternity towards all the inhabitants of Corsica” and is part of a vision where every gesture, word, and action has the power to contribute to the ideal of a reconciled humanity.
When Pope John Paul II visited Morocco in August 1985, at the behest of King Hassan II, the Pontiff and the Moroccan monarch notably discussed the status of the Church in Morocco and interfaith relations between Christians and Muslims.
More recently, in March 2019, Pope Francis visited Morocco at the invitation of King Mohammed VI to promote interreligious dialogue. Meeting with Muslim leaders, migrants, and the country’s minority Catholic community during his visit, the Pope hailed Morocco for its efforts to foster cultural diversity and religious tolerance.
