On Friday 6 December 2024, the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne released the following statement in response to the attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue that morning.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne utterly condemns the appalling attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne today.
A peaceful place of worship has been violated—nothing can justify such violence.
Antisemitism has no place in our society.
We stand in prayerful solidarity with members of the Jewish community at this time.
Shortly afterwards, on his arrival in Rome, Archbishop Peter A Comensoli shared the following video message.
Transcript
Hello, my greetings to you. I’ve just arrived in Rome to the terrible, terrible news of the fire-bombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne.
I’m horrified by what has happened. This is truly an evil act, a wicked, wicked act by those who have perpetrated it. They have acted with enormous harm in so many different ways.
My prayers and my utter support is for the Jewish community in Melbourne and elsewhere at this moment. Know of my prayers for you. Know of my support for you. And that I utterly condemn what has occurred, and I also strongly condemn those who have perpetrated this, or any who might in some way think this is justified. It is not.
To my brothers and sisters in the Jewish community in Melbourne, know of my prayer for you. Know of my support for you, and know that I will reach out in whatever way I can to contend with this evil of antisemitism that is at play in our society at the moment.
