Dear Editor,

I commend President Trump for ordering flags at all federal buildings, military posts, naval stations, and U.S. embassies to be flown at half-staff recently, in honor of the victims of the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis.

However, this laudable gesture is not sufficient. Mental health support and prayer alone will not solve the issue. This moment calls for moral clarity, pastoral courage, and faithful action. Cardinal Blase Cupich lamented the widespread availability of guns and criticized the rejection of common-sense gun laws “in the name of a freedom not found in our Constitution.” Parents of the victims have also spoken out, urging lawmakers to take meaningful steps to prevent future tragedies. In the wake of the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting, Pope Leo XIV (then Cardinal Robert Prevost) reposted statements calling for: Stronger, sensible gun control laws.

Bishops have long supported common-sense measures to reduce gun violence, including:

• Universal background checks

• A ban on assault weapons

• Mental health support

• Funding for school safety

These are not partisan demands. They are moral imperatives rooted in the dignity of the human person and the sanctity of life. May our faith be lived with courage!

Fr. Misael Avila