NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      NAIROBI (CWNews.com) - Kenya's religious and political leaders gathered in Nairobi's Uhuru Park along with thousands of others to mourn the hundreds killed in a bomb attack on the US embassy two weeks ago.

      Archbishop Raphael Ndingi a'Nzeki of Nairobi, the Catholic primate of Kenya, urged forgiveness for the bombers, but added: "Forgiveness does not necessarily exclude restitution but it must exclude revenge." President Daniel arap Moi called the attack a dark day. "August 7 will forever remain the darkest day in our history," Moi said. "It is the day that Satan visited Nairobi."

      US Ambassador Prudence Bushnell, who was injured in the blast that killed 253 and wounded more than 5,000 others, said Kenya and the US would overcome the tragedy together. "Evil-doers have tried to divide us and put a wedge between us. They cannot and shall not," Bushnell said. Other religious leaders present at the memorial service include the heads of the country's Protestant churches and Muslim and Hindu religions.