The Most Reverend Lawrence John Saldanha
Archbishop of Lahore
President
Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference
55th Street F-8/4 Kaghan Road
Islamabad – 44000
PAKISTAN

Your Grace,

Please assure your brother Bishops and all the faithful of the Church in Pakistan of our prayers and condolences on the recent assassination of Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti, Minister for Minorities. His death has been covered extensively by the media in our country, and his visit to our country last month had been welcomed as a sign of hope for eventual religious and ethnic tolerance in your nation.

I am enclosing for your information a copy of a letter that I sent last week to the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, asking him to continue focusing on the question of religious freedom, particularly in the countries of the Middle East and the Far East. Our Conference is also sending a letter expressing similar concern to your country’s High Commissioner to Canada.

You and all the Church in Pakistan are in our thoughts and prayers. May Our Lord free you soon from all harassment and anxiety, so that you may live and announce his Gospel in peace.

Sincerely and fraternally in Our Lord,

+ Pierre Morissette
Bishop of Saint-Jérôme
President
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops