Cardinal Christoph Schönborn

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‘Blind Violence Cannot Be Justified by Anything’ — Cardinal Schonborn Condemns Attacks on Vienna’s Synagogues

Expresses Closeness to Those Who Lost Loved Ones Following Attacks Killing Three & Leaving Another 15 Wounded in City Center

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Blind violence cannot be justified by anything…

This is how Archbishop of Vienna, Austria, Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, condemned coordinated attacks last night, Nov. 2, 2020, on synagogues and Jewish centers in the city, in a statement on the website of Austria’s Catholic Bishops’ Conference..

In at least six parts of the city center, shooters–the number of whom remains unknown–killed at least three people and wounded at least 15 others.

«Whatever the matrix of the attack in Vienna, it must be clear that blind violence cannot be justified by anything,” Cardinal Schonborn said.

«In these dramatic hours,» he expressed in an interview with Kathpress, «I pray with many others who are following the tragic events in the heart of our city through the media, for the victims, the emergency services and that there will be no more bloodshed.»

Noting he was deeply moved by what he witnessed, he stressed: «The fact that shots were fired directly in front of the city temple of the Israelite religious community reminds me of the bloody attack on the synagogue in 1981. Whatever the background to this time’s attack, it must be clear that blind violence cannot be justified by anything,»

Cardinal Schonborn also condemned the violence and expressed his closeness to those who lost their loved ones on Twitter.

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Deborah Castellano Lubov

Deborah Castellano Lubov is Senior Vatican & Rome Correspondent for ZENIT; author of 'The Other Francis' ('L'Altro Francesco') featuring interviews with those closest to the Pope and preface by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin (currently published in 5 languages); Deborah is also NBC & MSNBC Vatican Analyst. She often covers the Pope's travels abroad, often from the Papal Flight (including for historic trips such as to Abu Dhabi and Japan & Thailand), and has also asked him questions on the return-flight press conference on behalf of the English-speaking press present. Lubov has done much TV & radio commentary, including for NBC, Sky, EWTN, BBC, Vatican Radio, AP, Reuters and more. She also has contributed to various books on the Pope and has written for various Catholic publications. For 'The Other Francis': http://www.gracewing.co.uk/page219.html or https://www.amazon.com/Other-Francis-Everything-They-about/dp/0852449348/

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