Statement of Faith Leaders Following Attack in Sydney

Flowers sit on a fence outside the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in suburban Wakely in western Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. A 16-year-old hasa been arrested after reportedly stabbing Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, Father Isaac, and multiple churchgoers during a televised service in Sydney Monday, April 15, 2024. There were no reports of life-threatening injuries and all, including the Bishop, are expected to make a full recovery.

After the attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and others at Christ the Good Shepherd in Sydney Australia on April 15, more than 20 faith leaders across the area joined together to prepare a public statement, which was supported by Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona, head of Catholic Chaldeans in Australia.

The statement reads:

‘Places of worship are places of peace and prayer. The people who gather there should never feel threatened or unsafe, no matter what religion they follow. As faith leaders representing the diverse religious communities of New South Wales, we stand united against all forms of hate and violence.

‘Our prayers are with the victims, and we call on our communities to extend our message of care and compassion to all.

‘We have trust in our police and first responders and full confidence in their work. Police should never be attacked for keeping our communities safe. The scenes we witnessed after the attack are unacceptable to anyone, and especially to people of faith.

‘For people of faith, religion is never a justification for violence. It has been a very difficult week, but we are a strong community in New South Wales. We call on everyone to act with kindness and respect for each other. Now is the time to show that we are a caring and united community.’

– The Echo