The New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Interfaith Relations issued the following statement today:
Dear brothers and sisters in Aotearoa New Zealand,
It is with profound sadness that we grieve for the deaths and injury of Muslims in Christchurch through the violence of extremists. We grieve too for the loss of a sense of safety and peace for all Muslims in this land in the face of such an attack. Every Kiwi, new or old, now feels our heart touched by the evil of hatred. The stark reality that our neighbours could do such a thing moves us to an even deeper awareness of the overwhelming need for love to be the driving force in our relationships with one another, rather than animosity or narrow-mindedness.
Peace, Salaam,
Colin MacLeod
