Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy has described an arson attack on the Islamic Cultural Centre in the county as "shocking and worrying".
An investigation into the incident by gardaí is under way after emergency services attended the scene of the blaze in Dooradoyle on Thursday morning.
Nobody was injured in the incident.
The fire is believed to have started in a bathroom of the mosque and Islamic cultural centre.
It is understood a male approached the mosque and threw a petrol bomb through a window of the place of worship.
In a statement, Bishop Leahy said such an attack "is uncommon and not supported by the vast majority of people in Limerick".
He called the blaze a "wake up call to us all" to work on the "promotion of good relations in our community and peace building in a world that is increasingly fractured and polarised".
People, he said, want their homes and places of worship to be respected, adding nobody "would want to be the subject of racial or other forms of hatred".
"We would want to live in peace," he said.
"I would like to express the solidarity of Catholics with the Muslim community in Limerick," he added.
Tánaiste Simon Harris also condemned the attack, describing "heinous crime".
Speaking in Waterford, Mr Harris said: "I've just heard of this arson attack in Dooradoyle, and want to condemn it in the absolute clearest of possible terms.
"This is a despicable act. It’s a heinous crime and I have no doubt that it will be investigated with the full rigours of the law and justice system by the gardaí.
"Those responsible for this arson attack must be, and I believe will be, brought to justice."
