By Jamie O’Brien
On the golden sands of Bondi Beach last Sunday evening, an act of unspeakable violence shattered what should have been a peaceful celebration. As hundreds gathered for “Chanukah by the Sea” marking the first night of the Jewish feast of Hanukkah, two gunmen opened fire on the crowd, killing at least 15 people and wounding more than 40.
The assault, now being formally investigated as a terrorist attack motivated by antisemitism and extremist ideology, has shocked Australia and renewed calls for unity, healing and renewed vigilance against hatred.
The perpetrators — identified as Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24 — are alleged to have planned the assault for months. Homemade explosive devices were thrown before the shooting, though they failed to detonate. Naveed now faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and terrorism offences, while Sajid was killed by police at the scene.
Against a backdrop of shock, grief and disbelief, faith communities have stepped forward offering solace.
Among the most significant responses came from Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. His public statement and subsequent homily at St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth, has provided a powerful lens through which Catholics can process this tragedy with hope and prayer.
In his official statement following the attack, Archbishop Costelloe acknowledged the “deep sorrow and horror” felt by all who heard of the violence.
He described the targeting of people during a festival of light and joy as “an attack on the dignity of every human person” and extended prayers for the victims, the injured, and the countless families and friends left in mourning.
His words affirmed that “no hatred should ever be allowed to fracture the bonds of human community that we are called to uphold”.
In his homily on Monday, 15 December, delivered before an assembly of some 500 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Archbishop Costelloe invited the faithful to reflect not simply on the evil of what had occurred, but on the resilient power of light in darkness — a theme central to both the liturgical season and the Jewish festival of Hanukkah itself.
Drawing on the Scripture readings of the day, Archbishop Costelloe spoke of how light refuses to be extinguished even in the face of deep night. “Let us not be overwhelmed by what we have witnessed,” he said, “for our faith teaches us that evil, however shocking, does not have the last word.”
He urged the gathered community to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community of Sydney and beyond — to mourn with those who mourn and to uphold religious freedom, human dignity, and mutual respect among all faiths. In a moment of prayer, he called on Catholics to “offer our love, our compassion, and our presence”, especially to those who have suffered most directly.