We, the clergy of the three churches in the center of Harvard, are writing to express our sorrow and dismay regarding the recent vandalization of the rock in front of the Bromfield School. It has been described as containing threatening symbols and hate speech, including swastikas, sexist and homophobic symbols, and racist terms. We find this totally unacceptable and in violation of our values both as religious leaders and as Americans.
Our nation’s Founding Fathers made tolerance and guarantees of religious freedom a central tenet of our national heritage. People of all religions, and people of no religion, should and do have a welcome in our nation, and must have equal protection under our laws.
In our church communities, we know that Jesus of Nazareth welcomed all kinds of people to his table, without exception, and he chose a religious outsider—a Samaritan—to be the hero of his most famous parable. Our community must be a safe place for all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.
The Rev. Terence Kilkoyne, Holy Trinity Catholic Parish
The Rev. Gregory Schmidt, Congregational Church of Harvard
The Rev. J. Mark Worth, Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church
