Manchester Attack: Bp Arnold calls for solidarity

(Vatican Radio) The Bishop of Salford, England, John Arnold, has called for prayerful and concrete solidarity in the wake of a deadly terror attack on the 18 thousand-person capacity Manchester Arena in his diocese, where singer Ariana Grande had been performing for a crowd of mostly teenagers and young people.

Many dead and injured

22 people are confirmed to have been killed in the attack, while 59 others were injured.

“We have victims, and we have people traumatized by these events, and we’ve got to take care of them,” said Bishop Arnold in an exclusive interview with Vatican Radio on the morning after the attacks.

Call for solidarity, resilience

The recently-elected Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, for calm and firm resolve.

“We are grieving today, but we are strong,” Burnham said. “Today it will be business as usual, as far as possible in our great city.”

The Mayor offered condolences and promises of support to grieving families, and praised the local citizenry, many of whom opened their doors to people stranded in the wake of the attack.

“[T]his,” he said, “was the best possible message to those who seek to divide us.”

Bishop Arnold echoed Mayor Burnham’s call, saying, “We mustn’t allow our community life to be fractured by these events.”

Click below to hear Bishop John Arnold’s extended remarks to Vatican Radio