Bishops Urge End to Hurtful and Divisive Language and Call for Unity

In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus says, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (22:39). Unfortunately, society has drifted away from this commandment, and hate has been spewed and acted out in many ways, most recently and notably in the mass shooting that occurred last weekend in El Paso, Texas. Racism and xenophobia are evident in the motive behind this and other mass shootings in recent years.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, joined two other committee chairmen in a  statement expressing their concern for rhetoric and ideas that can become the motivation for some to commit acts of violence. The bishops urged "all to act swiftly to stop using hate-filled language that demeans and divides us" and asked "our leaders and all Americans to work to unite us as a great, diverse, and welcoming people."
 
The bishops urge all Christians to pray that acts of violence like that which occurred in Texas, as well as recently in Ohio and California, never happen again. Pope Francis has also  expressed his prayers for all those affected by these most recent mass shootings in the US.