Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago

September 13, 2001

The members of the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago join in the heartache and horror of the events of terror visited upon the people of our nation.

We know that we cannot begin to measure the grief and sorrow which these events have brought into the lives of countless men and women.

Today we all are overwhelmed by a sense of pain and anger that such things should have happened. It is a time of unspeakable sadness.

The time will come when we will understand more of what has brought such devastations upon us and what should be done in their aftermath.

We know that we must not assign blame to individuals or groups based on assumptions of guilt or complicity. The peace and unity of our many peoples must be affirmed and preserved.

And so we pray for peace and strength within our land and for unity and mutual concern among our people. We pray for restraint and for the peace of God. And especially do we pray for the injured and the grieving.

We recommit ourselves to join with men and women of all faiths - in this and every land - who seek and witness to the end of bloodshed, war and violence.