Christians in Morocco

Today my son and I went to mass at the Catholic Church in Kénitra. This church is attached to the École Don Bosco which is run by priests of the Silesian Order. Saint John Bosco, known also as Don Bosco, was a dedicated educator whose example truly inspires me. The school here in Kénitra helps impoverished youth by offering them classes, support, and a safe place to learn and have fun. They organize all kinds of activities outside of regular school classes to help children and families here in Kénitra. They also have a technical school where they teach trades, particularly electronics, to young boys who would otherwise live on the streets and lead lives of crime and abuse.

The mass was well attended by Europeans who live and work here, who are here on vacation, and Africans from countries like Gabon and Côte d'Ivoire who come here to study or work. The priest is from Poland, the nuns who teach at the school are from France, and the mass was in French.

Here is a picture of me with the priest, whose name now escapes me. He was very nice, but hard to understand in French. He had just arrived from Poland the night before, after a 2 week vacation there, so the heat was still an adjustment for him. I loved that he fanned himself with the mass program while giving his homily!

Here is a picture of the chapel where we had mass. The tabernacle is on the left with a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The altar is in the middle. The picture hanging on the right is of the school's patron saint, Don Bosco.

Here is a picture up close of the very beautiful altar, with Latin engraved on the base and a Berber needlepoint cloth covering it:

I have known these two nuns for over 20 years. We were happy to meet up again at mass. On the far left is Sister Saint Charles and in the middle is Sister Marie-Thérèse.

Freedom to practice one's religion is guaranteed by law in Morocco. During my stay here I have learned much about the lives of Muslim and Jewish people in Morocco. There is also a long tradition of Christians here. Christianity was practiced in Morocco during the Roman era. Many Berber tribes were Christian before they converted to Islam. In fact, St. Augustine was a Berber from North Africa. With the Spanish and French colonial era, many Christians came to Morocco from Europe to serve the colonial powers.

Today, many Christians come to study in Morocco from places like the Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, and the Congo. There are also many European Christians who work and live in Morocco. Today, the Christians in Morocco are primarily Catholic and they are either European or Sub-Saharan African. There is a large Catholic Diocese based in Rabat. Some Protestant Christians live here in Morocco and are free to worship, but any attempts to convert Moroccan people to Christianity are against the law.

Catholic missionaries have long worked in Morocco, because they do not attempt to convert Muslims or Jewish people to Christianity. The Catholic Catechism specifically states that Catholics do not attempt to convert people of Jewish or Islamic faith. Catholic missionaries come to Morocco and other lands where Abrahamic religions are dominant so they can do the good works of Christ.

There has been some controversy here in Morocco lately because 20 Christians were expulsed earlier this year for proselytism. Here is an article about those events.

Today, though, was a happy day of worship and thanksgiving. I have so much to be grateful for related to this trip. All the things I have experienced, learned, and delighted in here will make their way into the lessons I will create in cooperation with my colleague for our students. Like a pebble in a pond, the ripple effects of this experience will span out through my life and the lives of those I teach for many years to come.

Tomorrow, I will travel back home. I will blog again to reflect on my whole experience. For now, I have many miles to go before I sleep...in my own bed!