The Masjid Suleman Dawood is a mosque located in the provincial capital of St. John's in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The mosque has occupied the site of a former Roman Catholic church, Mary, Queen of Peace Church, at 135 Torbay Road, since March 2025.[1][2][3]
History
The former Catholic church parish was established in 1925.[4] The church building was sold by the Archdiocese of St. John's in 2022; this was in order to cover costs associated with the sexual and physical abuse scandal at Mount Cashel Orphanage.[5][6]
The first service at the new facility was held on March 30, 2025 as Eid-al-Fitr celebrations began with 6,000 in attendance for a pair of prayer services.[7]
References
- 1.Power, Zack. "Former Mary Queen of Peace Church Transforms into Mosque for Growing Muslim Community". VOCM. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
- 2."A former Catholic church in St. John's is being converted into a mosque". CBC News - Newfoundland and Labrador.
- 3."St. John's is getting a new mosque inside a former Catholic church". CBC News - Newfoundland and Labrador.
- 4."Church of Mary, Queen of Peace". GCatholic.org. April 3, 2025. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- 5."Catholic Church selling assets to pay Mount Cashel survivors, but lawyer says it won't be enough". CBC News - Newfoundland and Labrador. July 26, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- 6.Roberts, Terry (June 21, 2022). "4 St. John's Catholic churches sold and set to close doors by September, parishioners told". CBC News - Newfoundland and Labrador. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- 7."New mosque officially opens in former Catholic Church as Eid celebrations begin". CBC News - Newfoundland and Labrador.