SAN ANTONIO — In a series of four posts on X (formerly Twitter) that have been seen by thousands of users, San Antonio's Catholic leader apologized for what he called a "very poor choice of words" in relation to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller said he was offering "my most heartfelt apology for a series of posts on X which have been seen by many as being solely a condemnation of the government of Israel and the people of that nation concerning the war in Gaza." Earlier this month, García-Siller condemned the conflict with urgent, pointed language in posts that have since been deleted, at one point appearing to directly address Jews when he wrote: "Jewish brothers and sisters stop killing Palestinians. STOP!"
In another since-deleted post initially published May 7, the archbishop shared a brief inquiry: "Palestines (sic) long for their own state and opportunity to breathe. What should be done!" (One X post that remains visible asks, "Palestinians are dying. Do we care?")
Now, weeks later, most of those sentiments have been deleted, with the archbishop saying "Israel most assuredly has a right to self-defense" and urging Hamas to "release immediately all hostages."
"I have always been greatly concerned for the people of Israel during these hostilities, and deeply regret that I was not more publicly forthright in that expression of unity," he also write Thursday morning. "All who are suffering the consequences of war in that region are in our prayers.
The Thursday posts garnered mixed reaction; one user implored the archbishop to "continue to speak the truth" while another replied "Thank you Father for clearing the air." As recently as May 22, García-Siller condemned conflict in more broad terms, writing "Weapons will not achieve peace" and "There is not (sic) other way but peace!"
Archdiocese officials said they had "no statement beyond the archbishop’s comments."
García-Siller – who was installed in November 2010 – has been particularly vocal via X about matters in Texas and elsewhere as of late.
In March, upon the Supreme Court allowing Senate Bill 4 to go into effect – empowering local law enforcement to arrest migrants suspected of having crossed the border illegally – he said the legislation "shows clearly discrimination & racism: hearts filled with anger & hatred" and in another post wrote, "I wonder if our legislators have met with migrants & refugees."
In recent months the archbishop has also posted out about lax gun control laws, shared his thoughts about the need to support women and blasted "the incitement of violence in the name of God" as "the greatest corruption of religions."
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