• Home »
  • Canada »
  • Hate act should ‘scandalize’ Catholics
hand and heart

The recent post office troubles have impacted our regular fundraising efforts. Please consider supporting the Register and Catholic journalism by using one of the methods below:

  • Donate online
  • Donate by e-transfer to accounting@catholicregister.org
  • Donate by telephone: 416-934-3410 ext. 406 or toll-free 1-855-441-4077 ext. 406
A woman wearing a protective mask mourns near a makeshift memorial in London, Ontario, June 7, 2021, following a fatal attack. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the June 6 killing of the family members, who were mowed down by a pickup truck, "a terrorist attack."
A woman wearing a protective mask mourns near a makeshift memorial in London, Ontario, June 7, 2021, following a fatal attack. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the June 6 killing of the family members, who were mowed down by a pickup truck, "a terrorist attack." CNS photo/Carlos Osorio, Reuters

Hate act should ‘scandalize’ Catholics

By 
  • June 10, 2021

Catholics should be “openly scandalized” by the “horrific act of hatred” that saw a Muslim family of five run down on a sidewalk because they were identifiably Muslim, said the director of the Cardus Religious Freedom Institute Deacon Andrew Bennett.

Using his truck as a weapon June 6, police allege a 20-year-old London, Ont., man deliberately crashed into a grandmother, parents and two children, killing four of them and leaving the nine-year-old in hospital. Authorities are weighing the option of pursuing terrorism charges, in addition to four counts of murder and one of attempted murder.

“Catholics absolutely need to stand with the Muslim community and with other faith communities that face any type of violence,” said Bennett, the director of the Cardus Religious Freedom Institute. “We should be joining with the Muslim community in these days in prayer for the souls of these poor people.”

London Bishop Ron Fabbro pledged that the Catholic community there will work with their Muslim brothers and sisters to root out hate wherever it exists.

“The Catholic community in London offers our support to our Muslim brothers and sisters, pledging to work together with them to end crimes of hate,” Fabbro said.

The Archdiocese of Toronto also offered prayers and condolences. “We join the Muslim community, London Mayor, Ed Holder, and all those who condemn this heinous act of violence,” it said in a statement.

An atmosphere of hate, or looking the other way when religious minorities face hatred, can be a threat to religious freedom even in a free and tolerant society like Canada, Bennett said.

“Religious freedom needs to be exercised fully so that we can have that common life together, so that we can live with one another,” he said. “There is no room for hate.”

(With files from Brian Dryden)

Tagged under:

Related items

More in this category: « Trudeau’s comments ‘unhelpful’ to Indigenous reconciliation We all share in this ‘tragic episode,’ say theologians »

Please support The Catholic Register

Unlike many media companies, The Catholic Register has never charged readers for access to the news and information on our website. We want to keep our award-winning journalism as widely available as possible. But we need your help.

For more than 125 years, The Register has been a trusted source of faith-based journalism. By making even a small donation you help ensure our future as an important voice in the Catholic Church. If you support the mission of Catholic journalism, please donate today. Thank you.

DONATE