Mikayla Hayward ’26

My Royal Reporter colleagues and I enjoyed our experience at “Fast with a Muslim” this weekend!

On Sunday, March 1, some of Rosary’s seniors accompanied their religion teacher, Ms. D’Alba, to the Islamic Institute of Orange County in Anaheim to participate in their annual “Fast with a Muslim” event. As part of their Comparative Religions curriculum, Royals engaged in interreligious dialogue with the Muslim community of Anaheim. 

Starting at 5 p.m., the event consisted of an introduction, Qur’an recitation and translation, an Islam and Ramadan Q/A, the Maghrib (sunset) prayer and ended the night with a delicious Afghan dinner. During Ramadan, Muslims fast for 29 days, eating a simple meal at dawn, then abstaining from food and drink until sunset, when they break their fast with water and a date before evening prayer. 

Senior Justine Patriquin shared, “I loved having the opportunity to attend Fast with a Muslim because it allowed me to engage in Muslim practices outside the classroom through open dialogue and prayer, giving me a deeper understanding of Islamic culture.” Her classmate, Diana Penaloza ‘26, had a similar sentiment, saying, “It was very interesting learning about the Muslim religion and experiencing their culture, food, and way of life.”

Guests were encouraged to fast, but it was not required. Giselle Gomez ‘26 shared her experience fasting: “I did fast so that I could get the full experience, and it helped me understand the connection between not just Islam and Catholicism, but between Islam and all Christian Religions. I learned that Ramadan and Lent aren’t all that different, both in how we make personal sacrifices and in how we choose carry out almsgiving. We each simply find our own ways of becoming closer to God and sharing God’s call to care for each other.” It’s great that our seniors can make these connections!

Personally, I thought entering the house of worship was a really amazing opportunity. Since mosques are closed to the public, it’s something many Christians haven’t experienced. I appreciated the fact that it is required to take one’s shoes off before entering the prayer hall in order to keep it clean and holy. Many Catholics may be surprised to know that the evening prayer is reminiscent of the Rosary; they repeat the same prayer five times, offering each set of prayers for a certain blessing.

Ms. D’Alba underscored the importance of this event, explaining, “When students from different faiths come together to observe each other’s traditions, it builds understanding that moves beyond a classroom lesson. Fast with a Muslim offers Catholic students a chance to practice empathy, discipline, and respect for another community’s spiritual life. Experiences like this help create a school culture where dialogue, friendship, and mutual respect grow.”

To say the least, this year’s juniors have something to look forward to in their senior religion class!