The joy of Eastertide has turned to shock and bewilderment across Sydney’s Catholic community in the wake of a deadly knife attack at Bondi Junction Westfield shopping centre, in which seven people died and a dozen were injured. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP mourned the victims in remarks made at Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral yesterday, the day after the attack, which was by coincidence the Day of the Unborn Child, one of Sydney’s biggest pro-life commemorations.
“At a time of universal grief and horror at the multiple murders and injuries at Bondi Junction yesterday, including the stabbing of a baby – as well as celebration of the courage of the baby’s mother, the policewoman, and other bystanders – we reflect upon our community’s profound commitment to the value of every human life,” Archbishop Fisher said.
“In this Mass we recommit ourselves and our community to that principle, even as we pray for eternal life for yesterday’s victims.”
Masses and prayers were offered across Sydney for the victims, with the Bondi parish of St Patrick’s and St Anne’s offering three Masses for its grieving community.
Several members of the congregation at St Patrick’s Church in Bondi wept as visiting priest Fr Ninian Doohan offered words of comfort in his homily at the 10am Mass.
Fr Doohan was among those on the scene shortly after the attack, emerging from Bondi Junction train station minutes after the chaos had taken place. He blessed the ambulances and emergency crews as they were departing, adding in his homily that he “did under-estimate the danger even with the police presence there.”
Pope Francis sent a telegram to Archbishop Fisher soon after the knife attack, expressing his “spiritual closeness” with Sydney.
Police identified the attacker, who was shot and killed by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott, as 40-year-old Queensland man Joel Cauchi.
FULL STORY
Eastertide joy turns to tears as Sydney mourns victims of horrific knife attack (By Marilyn Rodrigues, The Catholic Weekly)
RELATED COVERAGE
Archbishop Fisher: We recommit to the defence of life after horror Bondi attack (The Catholic Weekly)
Pope Francis offers consolation and prayers to victims of Sydney attack (Vatican News)
