The Catholic Spirit: MCC - Special legislative session would be a first step in addressing gun violence

Jason Adkins — executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC) — said Sept. 5 that Gov. Tim Walz’s call for a special legislative session to address gun violence in the wake of the Annunciation church shooting would be a first but insufficient step to address all issues involved.

Equitable school safety funding for all students — including those in nonpublic schools — must be addressed, Adkins said in a written statement for MCC, the public policy voice of Minnesota’s Catholic bishops. The impact of Minnesota having legalized recreational marijuana and “the widely debated treatment of young people experiencing gender dysphoria,” also need attention, he said.

Work must be done to address “the deeper causes of violence — mental health struggles, family breakdown, and a growing despair often worsened by harmful ideologies, substance abuse, and the effects of the absence of God in people’s lives,” Adkins said.

“Ultimately, true gun-violence prevention requires both laws and the courage to confront cultural and spiritual challenges that endanger our communities and children,” the statement said.

The Aug. 27 shooting at an all-school Mass at the Minneapolis church killed two students and wounded 18 more from the parish school. Three adults were wounded. The suspected shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Read the full article at The Catholic Spirit.

View Adkins' full statement here.