WASHINGTON — Catholic bishops from around the U.S. were quick to
condemn the April 27 attack on a Jewish community gathered at a synagogue near
San Diego, which left one person dead and three others injured.
"Our country should be better than this; our world should be
beyond such acts of hatred and anti-Semitism," said Cardinal Daniel N.
DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops in an April 28 statement. "This attack joins an all too long list
of attacks against innocent people, people of all faiths, who only want to
gather and to pray. It is a contradiction, a perverting of their teachings to
believe that Christianity, Judaism, or Islam would condone such violence."
News reports say members of the synagogue Chabad of Poway were gathered
to mark the last day of Passover, a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days,
commemorating the deliverance of the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt,
when shots rang shortly before noon.
One of them ended up fatally striking 60-year-old Lori Gilbert
Kaye as well as injuring the rabbi and an 8-year-old girl, among others.
Initial reports say the gunman's weapon then jammed and the assailant left, but
not before being shot at by a security guard who was inside the house of
worship. Authorities later said John Earnest, 19, was arrested and is suspected
of the attack. So far, he has been charged with one count of murder and three
counts of attempted murder.
"Unfortunately, both in the past and today, too many preach
such hatred in the name of God. This cannot be abided; it must end,"
Cardinal DiNardo said.
San Diego Bishop Robert W. McElroy asked in a letter addressed to
priests in the San Diego Diocese to pray at Sunday Masses on April 28 for the
victims of the shooting.
"I know that you join in my profound sadness and outrage
that violence born of hatred against people of faith has once again rent our
nation, this time within our own diocese. I would ask you to include a prayer
for the Jewish community and the Chabad victims in your petitions at Sunday
Masses," he wrote.
The bishop suggested using the following petition: "For the
victims of the Chabad shootings and their families; for the Jewish community,
our elder brothers in faith, who are once again subjected to the evil of
anti-Semitic hatred and violence, this time in our own diocese; and for our
world, so consumed by anger and division, that we might understand that the
gift of peace you give in today's Gospel is a command for us to love every man
and woman in the human family; we pray to the Lord."
Other messages expressing condolences by cardinals and bishops
from around the country followed.
"For the second time in a week, we received news of an act
of senseless violence against people at prayer. This time, the victims were our
Jewish brothers and sisters, gathered to mark the deliverance of their people
from bondage," said Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich on April 27, the day
of the tragedy.
"We ask our Lord to deliver us from the evil that engenders
hatred in the hearts of men. Let us pray, too, for the courage to insist our
leaders remove the tools of terrorism from our society and take the steps other
nations have taken to safeguard their people. We will not become indifferent to
the suffering of these families and will recommit ourselves to breaking the
bonds of prejudice and intolerance. Only then can we build a peaceful nation,
with the liberty and justice promised by its founders," he added.