Immediate Release
May 26, 2022
Media contact: Janine Walsh | 203.685.1856 | walsh@franciscanaction.org
Franciscan Action Network Frustrated and Dismayed at yet Another Mass Shooting
Committed to continue working against violence and injustice
Washington, D.C. – Franciscan Action Network expresses its horror and dismay at yet another senseless mass shooting–this time the killing of 19 children and 2 adults in Uvalde, Texas by a teen who legally bought two rifles after his 18th birthday, just days after a horrific, racially motivated shooting of 10 people in a Buffalo supermarket. As Franciscans, we believe all life is sacred. St. Francis of Assisi worked assiduously against the violence and injustice of his times, and we are committed to do no less in ours.
Preventing gun violence should not be a political issue; it is a pro-life issue and a moral issue. The more than 200 mass shootings so far this year show that it is long past time to review the United States’ extremely permissive gun laws. We echo Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy’s frustration at the lack of federal action; he asked his colleagues on the Senate floor this week, “What are we doing?”
As people of faith, we are heartbroken and weary at witnessing our sisters’ and brothers’ lives needlessly taken time after time. We call on all elected officials to fulfill their duty to serve this country’s people and enact strong gun violence prevention legislation now.
While prayers are never enough, we do raise our prayers with and for grieving families and communities in the wake of these violent acts. We especially pray that the Holy Spirit will guide our nation to take real action towards eliminating gun violence in our communities.
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