November 4, 2018 - "The Attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue"

I usually write my column a week before you pick up the bulletin in church.  I am very saddened and troubled by the attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh.  Eleven people were killed and six were wounded, including four police officers.  It is considered the deadliest attack against the Jewish people in the history of the United States.  I am copying below statements from three American Bishops that bear a timely message on this ghastly shooting.
 
Bishop Joseph Bambera, Bishop of Scranton as well as the Bishop chair of the Committee for Ecumenism and Interreligious Affairs, released the following statement regarding the violence in Pittsburgh on October 28, 2018:
 
“Yesterday morning, death and violence entered a house of worship.  The attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, is a cowardly act and to be condemned by Americans.  Those killed and injured represent the best of who we are; people of faith gathered to pray and celebrate the birth of a child and officers responding to ensuing violence with no concern for their safety.”
 
“Anti-Semitism is to be condemned and has to be confronted by our nation.  The Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops stands with our Jewish brothers and sisters during this time of great distress.  May God grant peace to the dead, healing to the injured, and comfort to the families of those hurt and to all the Jewish community.”
 
Cardinal Daniel N. Dinardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (and a Pittsburgh native) issued a statement calling for prayer and action to put an end of violence on October 27, 2018:
 
“This morning violence, once again, struck one of our communities, this time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  It is apparent at least souls lost their lives in a shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue.  To our brothers and sisters of the Jewish community, we stand with you.  We condemn all acts of violence and yet again, call on our nation and public officials to confront the plague of gun violence.  Violence as a response to political, racial, or religious differences must be confronted with all possible effort.  God asks nothing less of us.  He begs us back to our common humanity as His sons and daughters.”
 
“I commend to Our Lord the victims, including first responders, and for the consolation of their families.  May Almighty God be with them and bring them comfort at this tragic time.”
 
Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh strongly condemned anti-Jewish bigotry and called for prayer that turns to action on October 27, 2018:
 
“As we are all devastated by this morning’s massacre at Tree of Life Congregation, my heart and my prayers are especially lifted up for our Jewish sisters and brothers and the law enforcement officers who rushed into harm’s way.  The relationship between Tree of Life and the Diocese of Pittsburgh has been close over many years.  Anti-Jewish bigotry, and religious and ethnic bigotry, is a terrible sin.”

“As we pray for peace in our communities and comfort for the grieving, we must put prayer into action by loving our neighbors and working to make ‘Never again!’ a reality.  May God free us from fear and hatred, and sow peace in our lives, our communities and in the world.”
 
Finally, some might ask why we should be concerned about a horrific murder in a synagogue.  It does not really concern us.  I contend that, on the contrary, it does indeed concern us!  Here is why I think that.  Martin Niemöller (1892-1982) was a prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany.  He became an outspoken foe of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime in Germany (1933-45).  He spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps and managed to survive this ordeal.  Perhaps he is best remembered for these words that he spoke after the defeat of Germany in the Second World War:
 
· First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
· Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
· Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
· Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
 
Until next week,
Fr. John