Dear Friends,
As a community of faith we mourn the violent deaths of six men who, along with 19 other injured worshipers, were attacked while attending mosque in Québec City on Sunday. We are praying for the families and friends of those who lost loved ones, as well as those who wait and worry about the recovery of those who remain in hospital. We pray for Muslims across Canada who have come to trust that religious freedom in Canada is a precious and fundamental right, a core societal value to be respected and protected regardless of the most strongly held differences. We pray that threats of violence and prejudice would not stalk the public square of Canadian culture, leaving Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists or people of any faith with the spirit of fear and suspicion. We pray for our country to remain a place of refuge, safety, peace, tolerance and understanding for those who devoutly follow their religion; part of the diversity that is prized and protected in our great country; Canada, a land whose people who have long been committed to sustaining the sometimes messy patchwork quilt that is principled pluralism. We prayerfully recite the words of our national anthem: "God keep our land glorious and free."
In His Service,
ROBERT G. KUHN
President