EUROPE: NORWAY: 92 KILLED IN BOMBING AND SHOOTING

On Friday, July 22 a bombing and shooting took place in Norway. In Oslo a bomb went off killing at least 7 people and injuring many others. Later on, a shooting rampage took place on an island just outside of Oslo killing 85 people. This camp was a political camp for youth aged 16-22. The terrorist dressed as a police officer and lured many of the youths to a spot and started to kill them. The main suspect, who has been arrested by police, is a 32-year old male named, Anders Behring Breivik (pictured below). According to Radio Vaticana, Archbishop Paul Tscherrig, the Apostolic Nuncio said it was a “great catastrophe”, and emphasized Norway is a peaceful country, which is very democratic and free, and this violence is a gigantic blow to the entire population. He said the Catholic Church is praying for the victims, and will remember the dead during the Sunday Mass.

“In times like this the Norwegian people and government need the solidarity of international society and the prayers of the worldwide church,” he said. “Now we know the reality of so many others in the world where violence pierces the lives of the innocent.”
Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, a Norwegian Lutheran pastor and General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) asks for prayers, saying “we pray that Norway might be able to stand together as an open, peace-loving country also in the future.” “Let us all stay together for a world of justice and peace, without hate and revenge, but with the values of democracy, caring for the dignity and the human rights of every person,” he said. “We are all created in the image of God.”

(image source: notanothernewenglandsportsblog)