Following the Owo church attack, Bishop David Malloy of Rockford (IL), chairman of the bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, said that “Nigeria has sadly become all too familiar with such growing violence.”

“In addition to the horrible loss of life, this attack is a disturbing development as it occurred in the far south of Nigeria where such bloodshed heretofore has been largely unknown,” he added. “We join our Holy Father, Pope Francis in commending the souls of the dead to the loving mercy of God and imploring ‘divine healing and consolation’ upon those who are grieving.”