Dobir Miah guest speaker at St Joseph's Church

Dobir Miah, Father Paul Daly, Mayor Ray Dutton with church members

Dobir Miah, the Chief Officer of the Rochdale Council of Mosques, was the Guest Speaker at St Joseph's church on Wednesday.

Members from Heywood churches, including the Mayor Ray Dutton, listened with interest as Mr Miah explained the central pillars of Islam, his own personal faith and the contribution that the Council of Mosques makes to the life of the Borough. He ended with an invitation to the congregation to visit one of the Borough's mosques as its guests.

Father Paul Daly, Parish Priest of Our Lady and St. Joseph's in Heywood, said: "Last year we welcomed Special Constable Moshe Rothstein. This year it was a privilege to welcome Dobir.

"The Catholic Church teaches very clearly that we have a great respect for Judaism, Islam and all the great world faiths.

"I am so greatful to Dobir for sharing his faith with us. It is an encouragement to us to share our own faith more widely and more confidently. In an increasingly fragmented world, we are about breaking down barriers, not building walls.

"The Council of Mosques' kind invitation to come and visit them was very well received. We hope to arrange a trip to Rochdale some time after Easter."

The service in St Joseph's Church was followed by a Lent lunch of home-made soup in the parish hall.

Donations received will be sent to CAFOD, the Catholic Agency of Overseas Development towards their urgent appeal to help in aid for Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia which are being devastated by a severe famine.