A Christian family was killed in a machete attack in Nigeria today, the latest incident
in an outbreak of violence that began with bomb attacks against several Catholic churches
on Christmas Day. Although there is no indication that the latest killings were tied
to Sunday’s bombings, many people fear the attacks could provoke reprisals that would
lead to widespread sectarian violence. So far, however, there has been no violent
backlash from Christian communities.
The Apostolic Nuncio in Nigeria, Archbishop
Augustine Kasujja said Catholics in the area are responding to the Pope’s call for
peace. “The message of the Holy Father is to call down these feelings of reacting
with violence.” He spoke of his own experience. “When I travelled to the place on
the feast of St. Stephen… to say Mass for the victims, we found that that attitude
of violence was calming down.”
The militant Islamist group Boko Haram, which
aims to impose sharia Islamic law across Nigeria, claimed responsibility for the
blasts, the second Christmas in a row it has caused carnage. Catholic leaders were
quick to point out that the terrorist actions of Boko Haram were not sanctioned by
the wider Muslim community in Nigeria, but called on Islamic leaders to denounce the
attacks on innocent people, and do what they can to put an end to the violence.