Pray and work that we can be a peaceful people
By Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond, Clarion Herald
You have made a very public effort to ask people to pray for the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor to reduce violence, murder and racism in our community. How thankful are you for the drop in the murder rate in New Orleans?
I was very pleased to see that the murder rate in New Orleans is the lowest it has been in decades. At the same time, I am concerned because the number of murders has increased in other areas of our archdiocese. Our concern as a local church is not just for the city of New Orleans but for all areas of our archdiocese. I believe that where there is a decrease in violence and murder, it is because of the prayers of the people as well as the goodwill of many who are trying to prevent violence. I reiterate that it is important for all of our parishes to pray Our Family Prayer every Sunday at Mass to ask, through the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, that God help us to be a more peaceful people. Any decline in murder is the result of our prayerfulness, our dependence on God and the efforts of many people, including law enforcement.
You commemorated the Battle of New Orleans with the 205th Annual Mass of Thanksgiving to Our Lady of Prompt Succor on Jan. 8.
Yes. I have often said the Battle of New Orleans was a battle against another country more than 200 years ago, but now we are faced with a new Battle of New Orleans which we must lovingly fight against violence, murder and racism. All three are alive in varying ways within our archdiocese. Some of the violence and murder is a result of racism; some is a result of mental illness; some is simply revenge or hatred in the hearts of people. Our Family Prayer asks God to change the hearts of those who are inclined to violence. The pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor on State Street is a very important one for me every year not only because it celebrates the history of the Battle of New Orleans but also because it helps relate that battle to our present-day situation. I also want to remind us that violence very often takes place with words, whether in person or in social media, when we have finger-pointing and name-calling and disrespect for people. That’s a form of violence. Perhaps it is more prevalent today because of Twitter and Facebook. I know some parishes that have been sorely affected by the derogatory words about others posted by differing camps. We know that this is not representing the mind and the heart of Jesus.
There also have been more recent examples of religious violence in our country and throughout the world.
Yes, we bring to prayer the people in Texas, where there was a church shooting, and the people in New York, where several Jewish worshipers were attacked. As the president of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said, violence in the name of God is blasphemy, and the rise of anti-Semitic violence in our country and across the world must be condemned, along with the ongoing persecution of Christians. It is good to remember that as the shepherds were in the fields on that Christmas night, they heard the angels of God tell them, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to people of goodwill.” Please join me in prayer every day that our hearts will be filled with goodwill and with the example of Jesus to work toward peace.
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