Cardinal DiNardo calls for solutions as well as prayers following shooting in Chicago

The President of the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops, is asking that public policies that would curb the plague of gun violence be supported.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo issued a statement November 20 that not only asked for prayers for victims but also called for support for “reasonable measures” that would end the plague of gun violence.

The Cardinal’s statement followed a shooting at a Chicago hospital on November 19 that claimed the lives of four persons.

“Yesterday, at a place which should be a center of healing, a police officer, a doctor and a pharmaceutical resident lost their lives in a senseless act of gun violence,” Cardinal DiNardo said in his statement.

“Again, we must ask the question how a person capable of such violence was able to obtain a firearm to carry out this heinous act. In our desire to help promote a culture of life, we bishops will continue to ask that public policies be supported to enact reasonable gun measures to help curb this pervasive plague of gun violence,” said Cardinal DiNardo.

According to news reports, the gunman, Juan Lopez, shot Dr. Tamara O’Neal, to whom he had been engaged, near a parking lot outside of Mercy Hospital. Lopez then entered the medical center firing and killing police officer Samuel Jimenez and pharmacy resident Dayna Less.

“Our prayers are with the staff of Mercy Hospital and the people of the Archdiocese of Chicago as they continue God’s healing work…We entrust to Almighty God the victims and their loved ones and for the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe. May her love and compassion embrace and bring comfort to those who sorrow,” Cardinal DiNardo said.