Tragedy at Westminster Parliament Wednesday 22nd March 2017 
 
We in the Westminster Justice and Peace Commission extend our prayers and sympathy to all affected by the tragic events at Westminster. We express our sadness at the loss of life and concern for those injured and all affected by this tragic event.
 
Our congratulations to all who responded in an amazing fashion, emergency services, paramedics, police and the public who tried to help in every possible way.
 
It shows how vulnerable we are and how difficult it is to maintain security without turning our city, or any public place, into an absolute fortress. Even then, security could not be total, because when evil intentions are intended it is very difficult to contain.
 
How do we learn from this tragedy? What is it that motivates individuals or groups to take lives indiscriminately? Maybe this is not the time or the place to look at the origins of hate and violence in those cases, but it is still a burning question.   Reaching out to others, to all the communities that make up London, making links of trust and friendship can be a beginning.   Again our thoughts with all suffering from this tragedy.

Fr Joe Ryan,  Chair