“This Good Work” is the Congregation’s bi-monthly e-newsletter to give witness to Precious Blood Spirituality through the lens of social justice, rooted in Gospel values and Catholic social teaching. In it we share real, legitimate information and ways Sisters are thinking about and living out many issues of peace, justice and ecology. This is curated by Peace, Justice and Ecology Coordinator Jen Morin-Williamson and features articles by Sisters.
We wear orange in June — and work for peace at all times
Seven Offerings of the Precious Blood Hear the cry of the Blood in every gunshot
Those left behind ...
The Blood cries out in the streets of Chicago
Our relationship with guns: Is it about values and safety — or intimidation and fear?
We wear orange in June — and work for peace at all times
By Jen Morin-Williamson, Peace, Justice, and Ecology Coordinator
June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month. Throughout June, advocates for ending gun violence wear orange as one way to bring awareness to gun violence prevention. Sisters of the Precious Blood, are inspired by the devotion to the most Precious Blood of Jesus, and our hearts are troubled by the preventable and escalating gun violence in our communities. We invite you to join us as we put on our brightest orange clothing and work together for change!
Think gun violence doesn’t affect you?
Everytown for Gun Safety reports: Every day in the United States, more than 120 people are killed with guns, and twice as many are wounded. The ripple effects of gun violence impact countless others.Read More
The American Public Health Association reports: Gun violence is a leading cause of premature death in the U.S.
And the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence reports: Americans are 26 times more likely to be shot and killed than others in high-income countries.
Wearing orange in June is a great first step in working to end gun violence. While we recognize the complexity and political sensitivities of the issue, our congregational commitment to the Gospel value of nonviolence and Catholic social justice teachings on the dignity of the individual compel us to take further steps to mitigate gun violence.
We are concerned with several areas, including:
Background checks: We support rigorous background checks, which help ensure that firearms are not sold to individuals with felony convictions, domestic violence restraining orders, or severe mental health issues.
Extreme Risk Protection Orders (red flag laws): We support red flag laws, which allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed to be a danger.
Accountability of gun manufacturers: We endorse efforts to repeal the PLCAA, which would allow gun manufacturers to be sued for damages due to unsafe business practices.
Assault weapons ban: We advocate for the prohibition of assault weapons and devices that modify firearms to function like them.
Ghost guns: We oppose the availability of untraceable firearms assembled from parts that lack serial numbers, bypassing regulations.
Gun trafficking: We encourage legislation and enforcement to prohibit and intervene in illegal selling of firearms both domestically and internationally.
Given the breadth of these concerns, it is crucial to prioritize initiatives. Safe storage is one such critical area in which there is broad support and can make a huge impact. Safe storage practices involve locking up guns and ammunition separately, both in homes and vehicles. It is alarming that:
– 80% of firearm suicides among children under 18 involve a family member’s gun.
– 76% of school shootings involve firearms taken from the home.
– 76% of unintentional child shootings occur with unsecured firearms typically stored in easily accessible places like nightstands.
– According to the ATF, between 2017 and 2021, there were over 770,000 private theft incidents involving firearms, with a significant number stolen from unattended vehicles.
We also support Ethan’s Law, which is proposed national legislation aimed at enhancing gun safety by requiring all firearms in homes to be stored safely and securely, especially when minors are present. The law is named after Ethan Song, a teenager who tragically lost his life after accidentally shooting himself with a firearm found in a neighbor’s home.
In June, during National Gun Violence Awareness Month, we are launching several collaborative initiatives to highlight the devastating impact of gun violence in our communities. In partnership with area congregations of women religious through the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the Sisters of the Precious Blood are financing a billboard campaign. The message, “Put the guns down — Nobody is winning — Let peace begin with me,” will be prominently displayed along I-75 as drivers enter the city.
Additionally, we are teaming up with Nuns Against Gun Violence to support Wear Orange, especially on June 7, National Gun Violence Awareness Day.
We are also sharing a prayer, “Seven Offerings of the Precious Blood: Hear the cry of the Blood in every gunshot,” and invite everyone to join us in this prayer.
“A Matter of Spirit,” a publication of the Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center
Seven Offerings of the
Precious Blood
Hear the cry of the Blood
in every gunshot
Prayer adapted by Jen Morin-Williamson, Peace, Justice, and Ecology Coordinator
Loving God, we offer you the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the Cross and offered daily on the altar so that you might open our ears to the cry of the Blood poured out in our streets as a result of gun violence. Renew our energy when we are tired of the ever-increasing instances of gun violence so that we can awaken justice and reconciliation in our communities. Read More
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus, Who with His Blood has saved us.
Loving God, we offer you the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the Cross and offered daily on the altar for all victims of gun violence, that God might receive them into God’s eternal embrace. Divine Compassion, console the family members and friends of victims of gun violence in their pain and loss.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus, Who with His Blood has saved us.
Loving God, we offer you the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the Cross and offered daily on the altar for the people of all communities that mourn another neighbor lost to a shooting, so that God might strengthen them to resist fear and violence in the aftermath of all gun violence.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus, Who with His Blood has saved us.
Loving God, we offer you the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the Cross and offered daily on the altar for the persons who commit acts of violence, that they might find Your Spirit of love and reconciliation. Send Your Peace into the hearts of those considering violence, calming their anxious spirit.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus, Who with His Blood has saved us.
Loving God, we offer you the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the Cross and offered daily on the altar for our lawmakers, that their hearts might be moved to enact common sense gun legislation that will reduce gun violence.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus, Who with His Blood has saved us.
Loving God, we offer you the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the Cross and offered daily on the altar for firearms and weapons manufacturers, that they consider the impact of their business and open their hearts to humanity over profits.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus, Who with His Blood has saved us.
Loving God, we offer you the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the Cross and offered daily on the altar for peace in our world so that we might let go of our anger over this escalating violence, so that we might turn our sadness into acts of reconciliation, and so that we can have strength to continue to denounce violence in all its forms and announce that all blood shed is precious.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus, Who with His Blood has saved us.
Photo in slider above, billboard that will be displayed on I-75 in June.
Those left behind …
By Sister Jeanette Buehler, CPPS
In an article critiquing the expression that “thoughts and prayers are not enough,” columnist David French writes, “But when there is genuine belief and genuine humility, prayer is something else entirely. It’s an act. . .” (The New York Times Op-Ed, 4/2/2023). That belief motivates participants in the Community Homicide Prayer Vigil Group, for whom vigils are a “public act witnessing to the value of all human life” (mission statement).
Since 2006, approximately 750 homicide victims have been remembered in prayer. Tragically, the taking of another’s life can happen in a variety of ways, but gun violence is a frequent cause. At our prayer vigil in April, each of the five victims for whom we prayed was shot to death. They ranged in age from 14 to 28. Read More
The media may report the name of a victim and how the incident happened — but rarely does the “person” behind the report emerge. Who are the victims? They are men, women and children; ages range from a few months to 95 years. In each case, loved ones are left behind. When families attend the vigils, the person emerges through stories shared: the son killed in a drive-by shooting 15 minutes after visiting his mother; the elderly man or woman beloved by their neighbors; the daughter who was trying to turn her life around; the infant whose smile and laughter lit up a room.
We stand in solidarity with those who face the absence of their loved ones: no more phone calls, visits, presence at family events, at their own graduations, at achievements that might have been. All life is precious, for each person is a child of God, redeemed by the blood of Jesus.
Prayer is a response to violence and a motivation to take action. Prayer can change us: make us less judgmental; increase awareness that another human being is lost to us; sensitize us to the grief of those left behind. In changing us, prayer can change our communities.
Since COVID, vigils are held monthly, at noon, in a central location rather than at the site where each homicide occurred. Prayers are offered for victims from across Montgomery County. This allows families time to grieve and then to join others who suffered similar loss. There is healing in knowing that their loved ones are not forgotten, and neither are those who are left behind.
At right, Sister Katie Lett during a homicide vigil in 2017; contributed photo.
The Blood cries out in the streets of Chicago
By Sister Donna Liette, CPPS
I minister as the Family Forward Program coordinator at the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation on Chicago’s South Side. Here, Missionaries of the Precious Blood, Sisters of the Precious Blood, and dedicated lay staff and volunteers walk alongside community members on their journeys of day-to-day life.
A “perfect storm” of poverty, drugs and economic underinvestment creates an environment where violence can flourish. This is exacerbated by increasingly easy access to guns. Between Jan. 1 and April 21 this year alone, there have been 73 victims of fatal and nonfatal shootings in our area of Back of the Yards/New City, Englewood and West Englewood. Read More
As I write this article, the reality of gun violence is raw and painful! Just last night in our community, Back of the Yards, a mass shooting occurred at a child’s Confirmation celebration party.
In a drive-by shooting, a 9-year-old child was killed and both of her parents suffered gunshot wounds; at least 10 other people were injured, including a 1-year-old and a 7-year-old. As our PBMR family gathered in support of one another in the wake of this shooting, we sat together in silence, reflecting, crying, caring that another life had been lost to gun violence. Another family now grieves. Another spot is stained by precious blood.
Later, we joined family and friends in a balloon release for one of our youth, “Big Mike,” who was shot several weeks ago and later died from his injuries.
The stories go on and on as guns become more readily available and a community is broken by loss, trauma and fear. Who will be next?
Here at PBMR, we experience hope, loss, anger, despair, love, healing and togetherness daily. As Precious Blood women and men, along with our PBMR family, we remain committed to responding to the “Cry of the Blood” as we stand as witnesses to the horrors of gun violence — and work together to bring peace and love to the brokenhearted.
Above right, Sister Donna walking with Sherrie M., 2016; photo in slider above, Sister Donna walking in the streets of Chicago, 2018; contributed photos.
Our relationship with guns: Is it about values and safety — or intimidation and fear?
By Sister Terry Maher, CPPS
Neighborhood shootings, suicide, drive-by shootings, murder, accidents, gangs and wars — even if we do not live with these realities in our own day-to-day lives, if we simply listen to the news, gun violence touches our lives daily. I do wonder now numb society has become to death by gun. This year alone — as of April 29 — 5,258 people have died by gun violence. And according to the Pew Research Center, in 2021, 54% of gun-related deaths (26,328) were by suicide, 43% were murders (20,958) and 549 were accidental. Read More
As a nation, we have also witnessed many, many school shootings. So much so, that our schools now look like prisons. School bags are searched; metal detectors scan anyone entering the premises. I wonder: Are we living with a sense of fear and intimidation? Do more guns make us feel safer? Or are we exhibiting our values? Do we even pay attention when we hear of a shooting taking place? As long as we speak the words, “Our thoughts and prayers are with you,” it seems to be enough. And as we say this, it becomes someone else’s problem. Is it?
More states are allowing open carry. Just this morning, I read that someone is proposing a federal mandate for open carry. I still need to ask: Why?
Why is it that there are more guns in the United States than we have people? Children are being taught how to use a gun responsibly. Is that really what we want for our society? Why is it OK for people to buy an AK-47, a bazooka and other weapons made for war? As the reader may be aware, I ask “Why?” quite often.
When my brother, a police officer, was killed in the line of duty, my uncle, a retired Navy chief petty officer, said, “When I went into boot camp and was given my gun, the master sergeant made it the power of that weapon very clear, saying, ‘The gun was invented for one thing and one thing only: to kill’.” Not many will agree, but I still ask why.
Gun violence lives with us daily. Not just as statistics, or what comes to us in the news. It sits silently with us in the stories of our neighbors, the person sitting with us in our church pew, in the lives of teenagers surviving a school shooting. How much do we really want to hear the stories of pain and grief?
We may want our world to feel safe. We may not want to live in fear. So we justify our actions that may collide with values we once held. Remember, we created all this.
As a Sister of the Precious Blood, I believe that Jesus’ Precious Blood has saved us, and that our mission in life is to respond to the Cry of the Blood. But I am tired of hearing that the Blood of Christ has been poured out again as another person lies alone in death. And I am tired of watching as the actions to stop that flow of Blood are stifled. What can each of us do to listen more attentively for the Cry of the Blood — and respond in a meaningful way?
Seven Offerings of the
The Blood cries out in the streets of Chicago