August 11, 2019 - "Recent Outbreak of Violence"

I often write my column for the bulletin at least a week before it appears in the bulletin.  I am sitting on a computer on Sunday afternoon (August 4) very sad because of the outbreak of violence that has happened in the last week or so.  The sadness is compounded by the shootings that occurred yesterday (August 3) in El Paso, Texas and very early this morning (August 4) in Dayton, Ohio.  At least twenty-nine people are dead and fifty-three injured as a result of the two shootings.  As of today, we have had twenty-two mass murders in the United States in 2019.   I am gratified that we have statements about the shootings in El Paso and Dayton from Pope Francis as well as officials from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).  Let me present to you what they said, because I believe their messages are well worth serious reflection and prayer.
 
Pope Francis expressed his spiritual closeness and prayers to all those affected by the mass shootings that have taken place in the last week.  Referring to the shooting of three people (including two children) at Northern California’s Gilroy Garlic Festival by a 19-year old male on Sunday, July 29, the shooting deaths of twenty (with many others injured) in El Paso, Texas on Saturday, August 3, and the murder of nine others owing to gun violence in Dayton, Ohio on Sunday, August 4, Pope Francis lamented that all three attacks had targeted defenseless people. Following his words, the Holy Father asked those attending the papal audience to join him in praying a Hail Mary for all the victims in those shootings.
 
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, President of the USCCB, and Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, Chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, issued the following statement on Saturday, August 3, 2019,  in response to the tragic shooting at the Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso, Texas:
This Saturday, less than a week after the horrific instances of gun violence in California, yet another terrible, senseless and inhumane shooting took place, this time in a shopping mall in El Paso, Texas.
 
Something remains fundamentally evil in our society when locations where people congregate to engage in the everyday activities of life can, without warning, become scenes of violence and contempt for human life.  The plague that gun violence has become continues unchecked and spreads across our country.
 
Things must change. Once again, we call for effective legislation why these unimaginable and repeated occurrences of murderous gun violence continue to take place in our communities.  As people of faith, we continue to pray for all the victims, and for healing in all these stricken communities.  But action is also needed to end these abhorrent acts.

 Just a day later, Cardinal DiNardo and Bishop Dewane had the sad duty of issuing another statement in response to the tragic shooting in Dayton, Ohio:
 
We extend our condolences to the families and friends of those murdered in Dayton last night.  The lives lost this weekend confront us with a terrible truth.  We can never again believe that mass shootings are an isolated exception.  They are an epidemic against life that we must, in justice, face.  God’s mercy and wisdom compel us to move toward preventative action.  We encourage all Catholics to increased prayer and sacrifice for healing and the end of these shootings.  We encourage Catholics to pray and raise their voices for needed changes to our national policy and national culture as well.  We call on all relevant committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to outline a reinvigorated policy agenda and pastoral campaign to address ways we can help fight this social disease that has infected our nation.  The Conference has long advocated for responsible gun laws and increased resources for addressing the root causes of violence.  We also call upon the President and Congress to set aside political interests and find ways to better protect human life.
 
Until next week,
Fr. John