On March 30, 2020, more than 80 religious leaders from across Canada, including Area Seventies over Canada for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, issued a common message to all who call Canada home, expressing the need for hope, gratitude and solidarity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This ecumenical and interfaith message is a response by religious leaders from across Canada, which was initiated by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Canadian Rabbinic Caucus with the support and co-ordination of the Canadian Council of Churches and the Canadian Interfaith Conversation. The French translation was funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The message reflects a unity of thought and concern among Canada’s diverse religious communities in the face of the uncertainty, fear and anxiety surrounding COVID-19. Acknowledging the significant impact of COVID-19, the message reminds Canadians of the hope we share, the reasons we have to give thanks and the ways we can act together for the good of one another:
We urge all people in Canada to listen and follow attentively the directions of our Public Health officials and government leaders. We, as religious leaders, pledge to lead by example. We all must act together in confronting this virus. While everyone is vulnerable during this crisis, let us not forget those in our society who, prior to COVID19, were already vulnerable to health and social ailments. As religious leaders, we raise our collective voices to highlight the necessity for greater attention to the needs of the homeless, the incarcerated, the elderly and those already suffering from social isolation. We remember, too, those people, especially women and children who face abuse and violence, who are not safe at home and may suffer additional abuse and violence as stress increases.
We earnestly pray for healing, for the continued efforts to relieve human suffering, and for perseverance throughout these challenging times. As history records these moments for our country’s future, let us pray that, in the face of COVID-19, we respond with an abundance of hope, gratitude and solidarity, trusting in the loving and ever-merciful God, the source of all hope.
See the full messages and signatories in English and French below: