Looking back at the weekly messages of Father Paul Counce, first published in The Carpenter, our weekly Parish Bulletin
Published: November 12, 2017
As I sit down to write my weekly column the news is just coming in today of the horrific shooting at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas: at least 26 people are already known dead. The madman, armed with some kind of automatic weapon, had burst into their late morning worship service and opened fire.
My initial reactions are of course shock and profound grief at the senseless loss of life. As I write the news media are speculating wildly as to the gunman’s motives, which on the one hand is itself pretty senseless, for no reason could justify or explain such senseless hate. But like the entire country and indeed the world, I am mystified as to why such bizarre acts of cruelty occur, and why easy access to such deadly weapons continues to exist here in our land.
I am not opposed to private ownership of guns for hunting, or even for self-defense (although people should be properly trained, so they can ready for self-defense in a sudden case of assault). But rapid-fire automatic weapons are simply not needed or useful for either sport or self-defense. And the sheer number of unlicensed handguns “out there” has simply seen violent crime with them escalate. Having lived for a few years and traveled some in other countries, with many friends and acquaintances from elsewhere as well, I can confidently say the comparison is not even close: we are by no means a safer or more prosperous society with better future for all of our people than many, perhaps most, other nations.
As we should beg God in prayer to welcome those newly-martyred Christians into His finally tranquil, peaceful presence, so also should we ask His guidance regarding our decisions regarding our country’s need for reasonable and just limitations on private gun ownership. It’s time to begin to enact smart laws. The 2nd amendment to the federal constitution’s guarantee of society’s defense by a properly-armed law enforcement authority is one thing; there is nothing in it saying that the mentally-ill and criminals should ever have access to firearms and bomb-making materials, or that even law-abiding and sane citizens should be permitted to own any sort of ultra-dangerous weaponry that has no real usefulness for sport or personal security.
Will I probably get some criticism for espousing these views? Yes, just as I am free and willing to voice objections to others who think differently. Does dialogue and negotiation need to begin anyway? Yes too. Small steps at compromise and progress can be achieved, if citizens of right reason and good faith are willing to do this rather than simply be blindly hard-headed and refuse to work with one another.
On to happier thoughts! Remember our Cathedral’s special “Thanksgiving Vigil Mass” at 5 pm on Wednesday, November 22. Bring your bread and wine to it! I will offer a special blessing over the bread and wine which you’ll be sharing as part of your family’s Thanksgiving feast the next day. (It also makes a nice display during that Mass, since we typically get all sorts of breads – and wines! – in all shapes and sizes!)
Sincerely yours in the Lord,
Fr. Paul