Sisters of the Precious Blood condemn gun violence; urge gun safety legislation

The Sisters of the Precious Blood of Dayton, Ohio, once again voice our profound sorrow, concern and anger in the wake of another series of mass shootings across the U.S. At least seven shootings in which four or more people were shot took place in the U.S. between March 16 and March 22 alone.

We pray for the victims and their families. We hold them in our thoughts and in our hearts. We also assert that the time for “thoughts and prayers” has passed. Regular mass shootings cannot and must not be normal. We call on Congress to legislate smart gun safety measures that will save lives. Specifically, we support the measures to prevent gun violence outlined by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

The grief and horror that we feel with each and every report of gun violence recalls the grief and horror we felt after the mass shooting that took place in our hometown of Dayton in 2019. In the face of the unrelenting onslaught of one violent incident after another, we resolve to never become inured to hatred, violence and death.

Indeed, here in the northwest corner of Dayton, we mark each and every homicide with a community prayer vigil. The victims we memorialize do not make headlines, but each human life has dignity and value in the eyes of God and in ours. We urge all Americans to take heed of the violence that happens close to home and may go largely unnoticed, and to take measures to build communities that are safe for all.

Likewise, the recent rise in attacks on Asian Americans shows us that we as a society still have much work to do in eradicating racism and working toward justice and peace. As Sisters of the Precious Blood, we proclaim God’s love by being a life-giving, reconciling presence in our fractured world, and we renew our commitment to confront injustice and effect systemic change.

The Sisters of the Precious Blood are an apostolic Catholic women’s religious congregation devoted to Eucharistic prayer and motivated by the redeeming love of Jesus. Founded in Switzerland in 1834 by Maria Anna Brunner, Precious Blood Sisters minister where the needs of the time call them. They serve in the United States, Chile and Guatemala.

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