HYDERABAD, India — The Most Rev. Dr. Joseph D’Souza, moderating bishop of the Good Shepherd Church of India and president of the All India Christian Council, releases the following statement on today’s terrorist attack on Coptic Christians in Egypt:
“I’m grieved beyond words to hear that our Coptic brothers and sisters in Egypt have yet again been the victims of another terrorist attack. Our church in India mourns with the church in Egypt—we are all members of one body, and if one of us suffers, we all suffer.
“While we always mourn the senseless loss of innocent life—especially of children—this latest attack burdens our hearts even more for a community that already has suffered so much. Let’s not fool ourselves, Christianity in Egypt is under siege. This is the work of a barbaric and evil crusade to exterminate the people of the cross, and unless we intervene, countless more will continue to die.
“As world leaders gathered in Brussels this week, I’ve prayed that they would wake up to the plight of Christians—not only in Egypt, Iraq and Syria, but also Pakistan and Nigeria, and a dozen other places where Christianity is facing an existential crisis. Woe be to us if we do nothing to stop this.”
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Photos of Dr. D’Souza are available here.
Most Rev. Dr. Joseph D’Souza is the Moderating Bishop of the Good Shepherd Church and Associated Ministries of India. He also serves as the President of the All India Christian Council. He is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades for his work as a human rights activist. He is also the founder and International President of the Dalit Freedom Network. He can be reached at: moderator@gsoim.org. Additional biographical information is available here.
