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Canadian Catholics Offer Support After Ontario Synagogue Shooting
Confirmed
In Short: Canadian Catholic leaders expressed solidarity with the Jewish community following a shooting at a synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, on Yom Kippur.
Canadian Catholic leaders have expressed their solidarity with the Jewish community following a shooting incident at the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
According to OSV News, a gunman targeted the synagogue on the evening of September 20, with shots fired through one of the synagogue’s windows. However, no congregation members were injured, and the suspect did not manage to enter the building.
Belleville Deputy Police Chief Sheri Meeks and Kristy Denette, a spokesperson for Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, confirmed that a police officer was stationed outside the synagogue to protect the congregation inside. This measure reflects a broader trend of increased security at religious sites across the province.
Toronto Police Services also increased its presence across the city during the observance of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to ensure the safety of the Jewish community.
Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), emphasized the importance of the Catholic Church speaking with one voice in response to such incidents.
Catholic leaders are urging their followers to join efforts to address criminalization laws and attitudes that foster discrimination, as highlighted by Newwaysministry.
The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Anglicans for Decriminalization hosted a conference in 2017 to examine the role of the Church in anti-sodomy laws across the Commonwealth.
Catholics are encouraged to add their voices to the appeal by contacting the pope and supporting initiatives aimed at fostering a more inclusive and safe environment for all religious communities.
What's confirmed
- Canadian Catholic leaders have expressed their solidarity with the Jewish community following a shooting incident at the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
- According to OSV News, a gunman targeted the synagogue on the evening of September 20, with shots fired through one of the synagogue’s windows. However, no congregation members were injured, and the suspect did not manage to enter the building.
- Belleville Deputy Police Chief Sheri Meeks and Kristy Denette, a spokesperson for Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, confirmed that a police officer was stationed outside the synagogue to protect the congregation inside. This measure reflects a broader trend of increased security at religious sites across the province.
- Toronto Police Services also increased its presence across the city during the observance of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to ensure the safety of the Jewish community.
- Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), emphasized the importance of the Catholic Church speaking with one voice in response to such incidents.
- Catholic leaders are urging their followers to join efforts to address criminalization laws and attitudes that foster discrimination, as highlighted by Newwaysministry.
- The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Anglicans for Decriminalization hosted a conference in 2017 to examine the role of the Church in anti-sodomy laws across the Commonwealth.
- Catholics are encouraged to add their voices to the appeal by contacting the pope and supporting initiatives aimed at fostering a more inclusive and safe environment for all religious communities.
What's still developing
- “We stand in solidarity with our Jewish brothers and sisters following the shooting outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. Our prayers are with the Jewish community, especially those directly affected by this act of violence. All people must be free to worship in safety and peace,” he said.
- Concelebrating alongside various priests, along with Flores, were Bishop Oscar Cantú of San José, California, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs; and Bishop Pierre Goudreault of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.