Diocesan clergy sign Bishop Frade’s letter opposing Quran-burning

Clergy signatures added to the bishop's letter

At the annual diocesan Clergy Conference, Sept. 7-8, the clergy voiced approval for Bishop Leo Frade's letter to the editors of local newspapers in which he called a small Gainesville, Fla., church's plan to burn copies of the Quran "an act of intolerance and religious stupidity."

Frade expressed concern that this act would endanger not only Christians living in predominantly Muslim countries, but also American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He appealed to Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center to "desist from an action that will hurt his Christian brothers and sisters around the world."

Read the full text of the letter here.

Forty clergy--about half of those attending the conference--added their signatures to the letter; many others were supportive but did not have time to sign before the end of the conference.

A copy of the letter, with the page of signatures attached, was mailed to Jones on Sept. 9.