It’s Friday prayers at the Masjid Al-Noor mosque in St. John's, Newfoundland and the building is packed. Worshippers squeeze into the basement, they spill into the kitchen and lay prayer mats on the lawn. The Muslim community here desperately needs a bigger space. 

Soon they’ll have one because a new mosque, under construction just up the road in a former church.  

The story of how the new mosque was built involves tragedy, faith and an extraordinary act of generosity connected to one of the most gripping news events in recent years, the imploding of the Titan submersible in the North Atlantic. 

In her documentary, The Best of Planners, Caroline Hillier explores how unexpected events can create profound connections between strangers. 

Produced by Caroline Hillier, Joan Webber and Lindsay Bird. 

This documentary first aired on The Current and Atlantic Voice in June, 2025

Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit