Summary
A new support network, named after St. Nicholas Tavelić, a 14th-century Croatian Franciscan friar who was martyred for his Christian faith, has been established to assist converts from Islam into the Catholic Church in Muslim-majority communities or areas where traditional parish structures cannot reach them. The “St. Nicholas Tavelić Network for Morisco Catholics” (TavNet) began as an informal online group of former Muslims and now numbers approximately 300 members who undergo regular formation with support from priests and volunteers. The network was founded by Hasan, a former Shiite Muslim who was inspired to create it after observing the unique challenges faced by converts. It officially launched in August 2024 following a weeklong gathering that defined its structure and principles. The primary purpose of TavNet is to provide pastoral care, sacraments, and catechesis for hidden or underground communities within Islamic cultures while ensuring orthodoxy. TavNet draws inspiration from Pope Francis’s message about Muslim converts experiencing exclusion and abuse in local Catholic communities. Key figures involved include Hasan, one of the network’s founders; and Father Joseph, a missionary priest who helped initiate the project by noticing that many converts to Islam could not receive sacraments. The network addresses barriers to conversion, such as family resistance and lack of pastoral support for young converts from traditional Muslim families in Western countries. The network aims to connect these converts with psychiatric care and helps them fulfill their obligations toward their parents while praying for those who persecute them. TavNet operates on a vetting process due to the risk of infiltration. The network’s efforts are aligned with Pope Francis’s encouragement and seek to create support structures within Catholic communities that are culturally sensitive yet orthodox in faith.
Key Topics
Catholic Church, Converts, Muslim communities
