The Congregation of St. Joseph is saddened by and condemns the violence of the past week that claimed the lives of eight people in Atlanta, GA six of whom were Asian-American women, and ten people, including one police officer, in Boulder, CO. We mourn with those who have lost loved ones to these senseless acts of violence, and lament the racism and sexism that continue to afflict our communities and denigrate all we hold dear. We condemn the daily acts of hate and discrimination that diminish us all and promise to continue to use our collective voice and energy to build God’s beloved community where all are one. We implore all legislative bodies to pass legislation that effectively prevents gun violence. While mass shootings capture our attention, we cannot forget that they are only part of the pervasive violence perpetrated by the use of firearms.
