Sister Sarah Crotty brings the congregation’s anguish and desire for action to end the epidemic of gun violence during a day of advocacy with CeaseFirePA
On Tuesday, May 7, Sister Sarah Crotty, Community Outreach Coordinator, joined hundreds of people organized by CeaseFirePA – survivors of gun violence, advocates, people of faith, students, and neighbors from across the state – to call on our elected leaders in the Pennsylvania Legislature to address the epidemic of gun violence.
“Informed by the Gospel I have staked my life on,” she said to those gathered, “I believe, I have witnessed, that violence and the abuse of power fractures human relationships and diminishes human dignity. We Sisters of St. Joseph have therefore committed ourselves to live non-violently and to work to transform structures that promote violence.”
Recalling the parable of the Good Samaritan, who, recognizing our oneness in God acted to ease another’s suffering, Sister Sarah called attention to the suffering we see every single day in our communities resulting from gun violence. “As a person of faith, I cannot turn away,” she said, asking all people of good will to do the same in advocating for an end to the epidemic of gun violence.
While the legislation offered that day narrowly failed to advance in the House (by a single vote), Sister Sarah remains steadfast in her determination to continue using her voice to work for change. “I have a mandate,” she says, “a Gospel imperative to do everything I can to assist those suffering in my community in my state, in my country. . . As believers, nothing less is demanded of us.”
Resources for Prayer & Advocacy
For the past decade, we Sisters of St. Joseph have called on our elected officials to act morally and justly to pass common sense gun measures which would:
- Ban assault-style firearms,
- Ban high-capacity magazines and bump stocks,
- Require universal background checks and mandatory waiting periods for all gun purchases.
We have hosted prayer services and public Memorial to the Lost to help raise awareness of the devastating cost of gun violence and provide a safe space for healing and grief.
We continue to pray that our collective anguish and anger will move us to act in ways that build momentum for change that protects our communities. As we come upon June, which is Gun Violence Awareness Month, we pray especially for all of those individuals and families who have been affected by gun violence.
We continue to partner with nonpartisan organizations like CeaseFirePA, who works to advance common-sense gun safety legislation at the state level and empower victims and survivors of gun violence to create positive change through advocacy.