CHARELSTON W.Va. (WVDN) – Today, I join Catholic faithful across our Diocese and indeed every West Virginian in prayer for the two National Guard soldiers who were senselessly shot yesterday in our nation’s capital.
During this Thanksgiving holiday, we united as Americans to give thanks to our Lord for our
abundant blessings only He can provide. We pray particularly for the victims, their families, and all those who serve our nation so bravely. I deplore the use of violence to achieve any end within our world. I echo the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in proclaiming that violence is not the way forward for our people. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness:” he said, “only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
Sacred Scripture reminds us in Romans 12:21:
“Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good.”
We must stop this descending spiral of violence in our country that increases hate rather than diminishing evil.
Let us pray that this epidemic of violence in our country will end, and that every person; regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, country of origin, or political persuasion will see that it is only through coming together in peace to solve our differences will we be able to prosper together as one nation under God.
—Most Rev. Mark E. Brennan, Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston
