USCCB President Sends Prayers and Support to President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan

 WASHINGTON—Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressed the prayers and support of the Catholic Church in the United States to Archbishop Joseph Coutts, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan, following the attacks in Lahore, on Easter Sunday.

The full text of the March 28 letter follows.

Your Excellency,

It was with tremendous sorrow that I learned of the unspeakable attacks that took place on Easter Day in Lahore. Even as Christians celebrated the peace of the Risen Lord, they became victims of the most atrocious violence. There are simply no words that can fully capture the immeasurable horror of seeing a children's playground turned into a place of slaughter.

Please allow me, on behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, to make my own the heartfelt sentiments of the Holy Father: "we are close to the Christian minorities once again struck by fanatical violence and the entire Pakistani people."

Last week, I said the response displayed by the Belgian people to untold suffering reminded me "of the Apostles comforted by the Risen Lord." I have the same faith in the people of Pakistan. The Church in the United States stands ready to respond in prayerful solidarity as you comfort one another.

The Risen Lord has triumphed over sin and death. He is the abiding source of our prayerful solidarity with the suffering. Therefore, our unity with you will never tire in the face of evil.

Where words fail us, compassion will sustain us. Where we might grow fearful in the face of violence, Jesus will steady us. And where we might tire in the need for unending prayer and work for peace, the face of Christ will strengthen us.

May the Mother of the Risen Lord gather close to her Immaculate Heart all those who suffer persecution in the likeness of her Son.
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Keywords: Pakistan, Lahore, Belgium, terror, bombings, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, USCCB, Christian, religious freedom
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