U.S. Bishops Conference calls for renewed peace efforts in Syria

WASHINGTON— Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo ofGalveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB),and BishopOscar Cantú, chair of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace, haveissued a joint statement calling for renewed peace efforts in Syria.

The full statement is as follows:   

"Three days ago,our Conference of Bishops decried the chemical attack in Syria as one that 'shocksthe soul.' The use of internationally banned indiscriminate weapons is morallyreprehensible. At the same time, our Conference affirmed the call of PopeFrancis to attain peace in Syria 'through dialogue and reconciliation.'

The longstandingposition of our Conference of Bishops is that the Syrian people urgently need apolitical solution. We ask the United States to work tirelessly with othergovernments to obtain a ceasefire, initiate serious negotiations, provideimpartial humanitarian assistance, and encourage efforts to build an inclusivesociety in Syria that protects the rights of all its citizens, includingChristians and other minorities.

We once againmake our own the earlier call of our Holy Father, Pope Francis: 'I exhort theinternational community to make every effort to promote clear proposals forpeace in that country without further delay, a peace based on dialogue andnegotiation, for the good of the entire Syrian people. May no effort be sparedin guaranteeing humanitarian assistance to those wounded by this terribleconflict, in particular those forced to flee and the many refugees in nearbycountries.'

Join us as wepray for the intercession of Our Lady Queen of Peace that the work ofhumanitarian assistance and peacebuilding will find strength in the mercifullove of her Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

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Keywords: Syria, chemical attacks, U.S.Military, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Bishop Oscar Cantú,U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Pope Francis, political solution,negotiations, humanitarian assistance, Christians, minorities, conflict, Jesus,Our Lady Queen of Peace, peace building.

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