Statement by the KAIROS Board Chair on the Events of October 20 & 22, 2014


KAIROS Chair of the Board, Rev. Desmond Jagger-Parsons, reaches out in solidarity to those harmed and grieved, and to other faith groups, civil society organisations, and elected officials to stand firm in our commitment to human rights in Canada and abroad.

Through KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, eleven churches and religious organizations work together for ecological justice and human rights.

On behalf of the KAIROS community, I extend our deepest condolences to the families left bereft in the tragic events of last week. Like families all across Canada, mine too was shocked by these events. As a community, we grieve with you in your terrible pain and sense of loss. Please know that KAIROS and its member churches are filled with people across this country who are holding you in prayer. While most of us do not know the depth of what you are going through, we are reminded of our global partners living in areas of conflict who fear for their lives daily and the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada who live with trauma on an all too frequent basis.

We express our deep concern for members of Canada’s armed forces, our Members of Parliament, civil servants, and press representatives whose sense of personal safety has been shaken by the events of last week. Compelled by the memory of those who were killed, we recommit ourselves to working with you and others for true peace through justice for all in Canada and abroad. We also recommit ourselves to hold you and your families in prayer as you react to these traumatic experiences.

The facts behind these events are not fully known. Should it be concluded that religious extremism was involved in these attacks, we want to remind ourselves that no religion is immune from such extremism. We want to express our support to faithful Muslim brothers and sisters who risk feeling isolated by these events and the reaction to them.

As Canadian Christians we are deeply committed to working with other faith groups, civil society organizations, and elected officials to stand firm in our commitment to human rights, and a diverse, welcoming, and safe world for all people in Canada and abroad.

Rev. Desmond Jagger-Parsons
Chair of the Board
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives

Related statements and prayers from KAIROS member churches to date:

Anglican Church of Canada
http://www.anglican.ca/news/a-call-to-prayer-amidst-violence/3003699/ Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
http://www.cccb.ca/site/eng/media-room/statements-a-letters/4024-statement-by-the-president-of-the-canadian-conference-of-catholic-bishops
http://www.cccb.ca/site/frc/salle-de-presse/declarations-et-lettres/4024-declaration-du-president-de-la-conference-des-eveques-catholiques-ducanada

Christian Reformed Church in North America (Canada)
http://www.crcna.org/news-and-views/standing-together The Presbyterian Church in Canada
http://presbyterian.ca/2014/10/23/message-moderator-regarding-recent-attacks-ottawa/ United Church of Canada
http://www.united-church.ca/communications/news/general/141022-http://www.united-church.ca/fr/communications/news/general/141022


Filed in: Executive Director

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