Bishop Madden Sends Prayers, Support To U.S. Sikh Community, Decries Violence Fueled By Religious Intolerance

WASHINGTON—The chairman of the U.S.bishops' Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs expressed thebishops' prayerful solidarity with the Sikh community in the United States followingthe August 5 shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.

"In this time ofgrief, we Catholics mourn with our Sikh brothers and sisters," said BishopDenis Madden, auxiliary bishop of Baltimore. "We share a warm and fruitfulfriendship, as well as a love of God and a belief in the community of all people,making yesterday's tragedy all the more painful and difficult to comprehend."

A gunman killedsix people and critically wounded three others after opening fire during aworship service at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

Bishop Maddenadded, "The U.S. bishops stand with the Sikh community and reject all violence,particularly violence inflicted out of religious intolerance. We are especiallysaddened that this horrendous act was carried out in a house of worship againstpeople joined together as a family to worship God. Our prayers are witheveryone touched by this, especially those who've lost family members and lovedones."

The Secretariatfor Interreligious and Ecumenical Affairs of the U.S. Conference of CatholicBishops has been in dialogue with the U.S. Sikh Community since 2006. For moreinformation, visit: www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/dialogue-with-others/interreligious/sikhism/

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Keywords: USCCB, bishops, Bishop Denis Madden, Ecumenicaland Interreligious Affairs, Sikh community, dialogue, violence, intolerance,religion, mourning, prayers, solidarity, worship

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