Resisting Every Form of War and Violence - The Killing Must End

In the spirit of our recent Chapter commitment to resist every form of war and violence as we answer our call To Be Who We Say We Are, we join our voices to those of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and Catholic Health Association calling for action to end to gun violence now.  

LCWR Statement
The Killing Must End: LCWR Calls for Action to Prevent Gun Violence

May 25, 2022

Our hearts and prayers go out to those parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, and uncles who lost their precious children and to all who have been touched by the massacre at Robb Elementary School.

Unfortunately, their heartbreak has become all too familiar to students, teachers, and parents across this country. The Washington Post reports that since the attack at Columbine High School in 1999, nearly 300,000  have been on campus during a school shooting. In 2020 firearm related injuries surpassed automobile accidents as the leading cause of death among children and adolescents. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Where is the outrage? How many more children are we willing to sacrifice?

We mourn with the people of Uvalde even as we continue to grieve for those lost to gun violence in Laguna Park, Buffalo, Parkland, Las Vegas, Sutherland Springs, Orlando, San Bernardino, Charleston, Newtown, Columbine, and in countless other cities and towns across this nation.  We mourn the senseless killing made easy by the proliferation of guns and the pervasive culture of violence which plague our communities.

While there is much to grieve, we know that mourning is not enough. Prayers and condolences, as important as they are, are not enough.

It is well past time that our elected officials stopped listening to the gun lobby and heeded the cries of the people of this nation. It is well past time that we enacted sensible gun violence prevention legislation.

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious calls on Congress to immediately take up legislation that:

• requires universal background checks and mandatory waiting periods for all gun purchases;

• bans civilian ownership of high-capacity weapons and magazines; and

• provides funding to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct public health research on firearm violence prevention.

We pledge to stand with all who seek to put an end to the epidemic violence in our land and to follow the path of peace.  Let us never doubt that the deep darkness of these days can be overcome by the radiant light of our lives and actions lived in love.

Catholic Health Association 
In the Wake of More Tragedy, CHA Calls on Congress to Act Now to Prevent Gun Violence

May 24, 2022

Statement by Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, President and CEO

On behalf of Catholic health providers across the United States, we are horrified, but sadly not shocked, about the news of another massacre and loss of so many lives. The Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) has long advocated for sensible firearms policies, including banning weapons that enable the slaughter of many people in a matter of seconds.  We also believe it is important to support research into the root causes of gun violence.

In recent weeks, CHA, our members, and nearly 300 national, state, and local medical, public health, and research organizations have urged Congress to provide $35 million for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and $25 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct public health research into firearm morbidity and mortality prevention. In light of the senseless loss of lives in Uvalde and Buffalo, we urge Congress to act quickly and authorize funding that bolsters research into this critical public health issue.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.  But action is needed now.  Recent statistics from the CDC showed that gun homicides jumped 34% from 2019 to 2020.  It is imperative that we have the resources to better understand the root causes of firearm violence so that government and health care organizations can work together to reverse this devastating trend.  Thoughts and prayers alone are no longer acceptable for people of faith and goodwill.  We must act to bring an end to such senseless violence.