VANCOUVER (CCN) — The Archdiocese of Vancouver has joined Pope Leo XIV and Catholic leaders in Australia in condemning a “horrible antisemitic attack” that killed at least 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney.
In a message addressed to the Jewish communities of Vancouver and British Columbia Dec. 14, Archbishop Richard Smith expressed shock at the violence targeting families gathered at Bondi Beach.
“The heart and mind recoil at such an act of unalloyed hatred,” Archbishop Smith wrote. “That it occurred on the opening of Chanukah celebrations renders the violence even more egregious.”
Reiterating the Catholic community’s commitment to “deepest respect, abiding solidarity, and continuing friendship,” the Archbishop offered prayers for the victims and their families.
“In such a dark moment as this, may the inextinguishable light of Chanukah be the symbol of enduring hope, resilience, and strength,” he wrote.
The Vancouver statement comes as Pope Leo XIV on Monday condemned the violence and entrusted the victims to God in prayer.
“Today I wish to entrust to the Lord the victims of the terrorist attack carried out yesterday in Sydney against the Jewish community,” the Pope said Dec. 15.
Speaking during a Vatican audience with delegations donating this year’s Christmas tree, the Holy Father expressed his spiritual closeness to those affected by the violence, which occurred as more than 1,000 people had gathered to mark the start of Hanukkah.
He noted the attack took place during the “Feast of Lights” — one of the most important celebrations in the Jewish calendar — and urged the faithful to “let the tenderness of the Child Jesus illuminate our lives” as he reflected on the meaning of Christmas.
The shooting at Bondi Beach on Sunday left at least 15 people dead and some 40 others injured. Among the victims were a child and a Holocaust survivor.
According to local media reports, two armed assailants opened fire on the crowd, sparking panic and a mass flight toward the beach and nearby businesses. One attacker was killed during the police response, while the second remains in critical condition. Authorities are investigating possible links between the attackers and a jihadist terrorist organization.
Catholic leaders in Australia responded with prayer and condemnation immediately following the attack. Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney called for prayer and the intercession of the Virgin Mary in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
“As we follow the horrific news coming from this evening’s shooting at Bondi Beach, let us pray for those who have been killed or injured,” Archbishop Fisher said. “May Our Lady, Queen of Peace, intercede for all affected, and for our beloved city at this time.”
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said the violence had “shaken Australians to the core” and condemned what he described as “the scourge of antisemitism.”
“The twisted motives behind those who perpetrated these terrible acts are now clearly linked with the scourge of antisemitism,” Archbishop Costelloe said in a Dec. 14 statement. “This is a shocking and deeply distressing reality which calls into question our own understanding of ourselves as Australians.”
He warned that “blind prejudice and hatred points to a dark and destructive stain in our society which threatens not just our Jewish brothers and sisters but, in fact, all of us.”
“We must rediscover our conviction that nothing can ever justify this destructive violence,” he said, urging Australians to ensure that the “justifiable anger we feel does not breed even more violence and hatred.”
Archbishop Costelloe praised what he described as the “remarkable courage of the police and other first responders, and individual acts of bravery as people sought to protect each other.”
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns highlighted the actions of a bystander who wrestled one of the gunmen to the ground and removed his shotgun, calling him a “genuine hero” who helped save lives, according to local media reports.
Archbishop Costelloe concluded by urging unity and peace. “We join with all those who condemn such terrible violence and plead with all Australians to reject any impulse towards hatred and violence and instead to recommit ourselves to being peacemakers in our families, amongst our friends and in our wider society,” he said.
With B.C. Catholic files
