As I watched in horror at the scene unfolding in Texas, I, like so many other Americans, was deeply shaken by the senseless loss of life and our continuing inability to protect our children and so many others from gun violence.
Once again we are confronted with images of those bearing the unspeakable pain of losing a child, a classmate, a parent, or a friend. We have become bystanders to an ongoing national tragedy that shakes our faith in our institutions and in ourselves.
In the Diocese of Bridgeport, we are all too familiar with the pain and anguish of losing children in such a senseless act. We stand in prayerful solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Uvalde. May our Lord cling to them in their brokenheartedness, and our Mother Mary wrap them in the mantle of her comforting love. Likewise, we remember our Sandy Hook parents who had so much taken away from them, yet continue to work to safeguard all children in our society from the kind of gun violence that has once again disrupted so many lives and families.
I pray that in the days to come, as we rally around our brothers and sisters in pray and solidarity, let us also resolve ourselves to do whatever is necessary to take common sense steps at preventing this tragedy from occurring again.
The previous reflection originally appeared on Bishop Frank Caggiano’s Facebook page. Follow the Bishop for daily reflections and weekly homilies.