Archbishop Nelson Perez celebrated Mass Oct. 2 as St. Barbara s parishioners marked the 100th anniversary of serving God and their neighbors in West Philadelphia.
Philadelphia priests look for ways to stop city s gun violence cruxnow.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cruxnow.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
(Brett Hondow/Pixabay)
By Gina Christian • Posted April 8, 2021
Philadelphia’s soaring rates of homicide and gun violence are down to deep-rooted causes – and the solution ultimately lies in the hope offered by the Gospel, along with concrete action, say several archdiocesan clergy.
Since January, the city has seen a 33% increase in homicides over 2020, with at least 129 victims. As of April 6, there were 96 fatal shootings, with another 418 nonfatal gun attacks.
Last year was its own grim milestone, marking a 30-year high in Philadelphia’s murder rate, and exceeding the 2019 homicide total by 40%.
Those wounded or killed have included pregnant women and children as young as 11 months. One 55-year-old man, a member of a video production team, was shot dead March 31 in the city’s Strawberry Mansion section while filming an anti-violence documentary for Netflix.
MLK’s dream is now our task to realize, says archbishop
Archbishop Nelson Pérez speaks at a Jan. 18 archdiocesan interfaith prayer service in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. hosted by St. Dorothy Parish in Drexel Hill. During his reflection, the archbishop said the dream envisioned by the slain civil rights leader is now the task at hand for each one of us to make it come true.” (Photo by Sarah Webb)
By Gina Christian • Posted January 19, 2021
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. understood that “pure love in the imitation of God the Father” remains the ultimate antidote to racism, said Archbishop Nelson Pérez.