Cardinal Dolan’s Statement on Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church

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Cardinal Dolan’s statement, below, was in response to the June 17 racially motivated mass shooting during an evening Bible study session in a Charleston, S.C., church that is one of one of the oldest black churches in the United States. Nine people, all of them black, were killed, including the pastor, Clementa C. Pinckney, who also was a state senator; a 10th person was wounded. Dylann Storm Roof, 21, an apparent white supremacist and admirer of the Confederate South, was arrested the next day and charged with nine counts of murder in the attack. In the aftermath, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and other officials called for removal of a Confederate Battle Flag flying on the grounds of the South Carolina State House, calling it a divisive symbol that does not represent the future of the state.

Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, released the following statement June 18:

“I am confident in the assurances I give our suffering brothers and sisters at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Charleston that they have the love, prayerful solidarity, and condolences of the people, priests, deacons, and religious of the Archdiocese of New York.

“God teaches that every human life is sacred; God’s house should always be a place of safety and peace. I ask that intercession for the wounded Christian community be part of our Sunday Masses this weekend.”

Timothy Cardinal Dolan
+Archbishop of New York