Two highly volatile and divisive issues, gun violence and immigration, came together at the weekend in an El Paso, Texas shopping mall, where a 21-year old white nationalist shot and killed 20 people. 13 hours later, a gunman in Dayton, Ohio killed 9 people. The attacks, combined with the president’s continued taunts and tweets, and his promotion of anti-immigrant policies, prompted leaders of the Catholic Church in the United States to speak out more boldly.
“Once again in our nation we see the face of evil. We see the effects of a mind possessed by hatred. We see the effects of the sinful and insipid conviction that some of us are better than others of us because of race, religion, language or nationality,” said Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso. “In the last several months, the borderlands have shown the world that generosity, compassion and human dignity are more powerful than the forces of division. The great sickness of our time is that we have forgotten how to be compassionate, generous and humane. Everything is competition. Everything is greed. Everything is cold. Tenderness and the love that knows no borders are crucified in a whirlwind of deadly self-seeking, fear and vindictiveness.“
The president of the US bishops’ conference, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, issued a statement with Bishop Frank Dewane, who chairs the committee on domestic justice. “Things must change. Once again, we call for effective legislation that addresses why these unimaginable and repeated occurrences of murderous gun violence continue to take place in our communities,” their statement read. “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.”
Before the murderous attack, Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington denounced President Trump’s racially divisive remarks. Noting that he is “a pastor and fellow disciple” first, and not a politician, the archbishop said: “There are, however, sometimes, when a pastor and a disciple of Jesus is called to speak out to defend the dignity of all God’s children. I fear that recent public comments by our President and others and the responses they have generated, have deepened divisions and diminished our national life.”
Archbishop William Lori also called out the president specifically, after Trump attacked Baltimore in vulgar terms. Lori signed a leader with other religious leaders that stated, “Recently, much to our dismay and profound sadness, you publicly slurred our beloved city of Baltimore in a tweet. We will not dignify the slur by repeating it. It was horrible, demeaning and beneath the dignity of a political leader who should be encouraging us all to strive and work for a more civil, just and compassionate society.”
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