Australian Pontifical Mission condemns Sydney attack
By Pierfrancesco Loreto
“There is no place in Australia for such destructive violence. Our hearts go out to all those affected by this tragedy,” said Catholic Mission, the Australian direction of the Pontifical Mission Societies, in a statement following Sunday’s attack.
According to Fides News Agency, the organization expressed solidarity with those who have died or been injured, with those who were in Bondi when this act of violence occurred, with their families, their friends, and with all Australians.
The massacre took place on December 14, when two men targeted an event during the Jewish celebration of Hannukah, killing 15 people and injuring 25 more.
“Catholic Mission will continue working for peace, harmony, dialogue, mutual understanding, and respect for all,” the statement continued.
The organization also issued a prayer, which is available on their Facebook page.
Australian Bishops Statement
The network of Pontifical Mission Societies in Australia expressed their support for and shared the statement of the Australian Bishops' Conference, which said: “Violence and horror have deeply shaken Australians. The loss of innocent lives is an immeasurable tragedy. The families and loved ones of those who have died have seen their world shattered.”
“The distorted motivations that have driven those who perpetrated these terrible acts are clearly linked to the scourge of antisemitism,” it said.
It added that “In a country that prides itself on its tolerance and genuine hospitality, this blind prejudice and hatred represent a dark and destructive stain on our society, threatening not only our Jewish brothers and sisters, but indeed all of us.”
“We join all those who condemn such terrible violence and implore all Australians to reject every impulse toward hatred and violence and to commit themselves, instead, to being builders of peace in our families, among our friends, and in society at large”, they also pointed out.
What we know about the attack
On Tuesday, authorities said that it was “a terrorist attack inspired by the Islamic State.”
The suspects were a father and son. The older man was shot dead by police while his son was being treated at a hospital.
Reportedly, the younger suspect was an Australian-born citizen who first caught the eye of the Australian intelligence agency in October 2019, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters Monday.
Twenty-five people are receiving medical treatment in hospitals, and 10 of them are in critical condition. Among them is Ahmed al Ahmed, who was filmed confronting and disarming one attacker, before pointing the man’s weapon at him and then placing it on the ground.
Amongst the 15 victims were a rabbi, a Holocaust survivor, and a 10-year-old girl, according to interviews, officials and media reports.
Since the tragedy, thousands have visited Bondi to pay their respects and lay flowers on a mounting pile at a makeshift memorial site.
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