Letter
Letter from Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan to Latin Patriarch of Jersualem on incident in the Holy Land (2012)
September 7, 2012 Letter from Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan to His Beatitude Fouad Twal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem on the arson and vandalism at the Cistercian monastery in Latroun
"It was with great sorrow that we learned of the most recent manifestation of hatred and religious intolerance in the Holy Land. The arson and wanton vandalism at the Cistercian monastery in Latroun in the early hours of September 4, 2012 is reprehensible. Reports have indicated that this attack may have been politically motivated in retaliation to a recent decision to close an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.
We appreciate the question that was raised in the Declaration of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land: “Why are Christians again the target? What is going on in Israeli society today that permits Christians to be scapegoated and targeted by these acts of violence?” We join in your call to Israeli authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and “to ensure a ‘teaching of respect’ in schools” so as to put an end to acts of discrimination, intimidation and violence."