Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, MSpS, statement concerning deaths of police officers in Baton Roug

Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, MSpS, statement concerning deaths of police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Just at a time when our country desperately needs to come together in peace, healing, and loving mercy, yet another senseless, calculated act of wanton violence against law enforcement — which took place Sunday afternoon in Baton Rouge, Louisiana — has resulted in the tragic, heartbreaking deaths of three more policemen, with three others sustaining life-threatening wounds. We pray unceasingly for peace. We will also keep the deceased and their families and colleagues foremost in our hearts and minds.

We may be having a hard time expressing our thoughts and feelings at the evil destruction and lack of civility now occurring in our society. The world seems to practically be coming apart.

It is up to each of us individually to be agents of change; person to person, conversation to conversation to conversation, encounter to encounter. The church must be at the forefront of these efforts at dialogue and understanding, and in the days, weeks, and months ahead we are prepared to take our place to see that those who would sow hatred and division do not have the last word.