"Terror Has No Place In Civilised Society; We Are With Victims Of Terror In Srilanka": Bishop



BELLARY, APRIL 22, 2019: Expressing utter shock at the violence perpetrated by terrorism in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, Bishop of Bellary, Henry D'Souza declared, "Terror has no place in civilized society; we are with the victims of terror and the people of Sri Lanka."

"We condemn in strongest words the senseless terror unleashed on innocent Sunday worshipers and tourist, which killed nearly 300 persons and injured hundreds of others, on Easter Sunday, a day of joy and peace”, stated Bishop.

"The priests, the religious and the lay faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Bellary, stand in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka in this time of pain and devastation", Bishop added.

Pope Francis also has expressed condolences at his traditional Easter Sunday blessing in Rome, "I learned with sadness and pain of the news of the grave attacks, that precisely today, Easter, brought mourning and pain to churches and other places where people were gathered in Sri Lanka."

The first blast was reported at St Anthony's Shrine, a historic Catholic church in the capital, Colombo. The other two occurred at St Sebastian Catholic Church in Negombo, a majority Catholic town north of Colombo.

A few minutes after the second explosion, it’s reported that blasts ripped through three star hotels in the capital.

May God grant eternal rest to the dead and comfort the bereaved families.

Bishop Henry D'Souza sent greetings of solidarity to Cardinal Malcolm Ranjit, Archbishop of Colombo.