March 14, 2018
I must begin my brief words by thanking you for this observance and for inviting me to be part of it.
There is absolutely no place I would rather be than to stand here in solidarity with you as you stand in solidarity with young people across our nation, and perhaps around the world.
The tragedy at Parkland is not even the latest of far too many shooting tragedies, for last Friday, we lost one of San Jose’s own, Saint Francis High School graduate, Dr. Jennifer Gonzales, and her unborn child, who were among the four gunned down in Yountville.
But today, your voices are being heard as never before. Your calls for sanity reverberate throughout the halls of power. Today, your outrage is shared by others, and you are our teachers.
Prayer, of course is good.
Likewise, Education is good.
And Solidarity, too, is good.
But we need to act.
To demand change.
To protect the lives of innocents.
Contrary to some, the answer is not more guns, not arming teachers with Oozies or AK-47s.
My generation and your parents’ and grandparents’ has failed. You may be the last chance for real change. You have something to say, and you must.
Some of you will vote in June and November. The rest of you must do the same when your time comes. Politicians live and die by elections. You can be the change that guarantees a chance for life for many.
Swords, guns and all weapons need to be turned into proverbial plowshares. But before this can happen,
And let us heed the words of the prophet Isaiah who foretold that when peace comes, it will be a child who leads all the rest of us.
May God bless you for what you do today and for all that you will do in the tomorrows yet to come.
Full story at Diocese of San Jose website.
The name is UZI, for an Israeli semi automatic machine gun or pistol.
He misspelled “uzi” and made a straw man argument regarding arming teachers. People who hate guns know nothing about them. They’re just scared of them.
This stupid, virtue-signalling protest/walkout/assembly will have no impact. All it did was make the people, including PJ, who superficially and at no personal cost participated in it feel good about themselves for “taking a stand” and “making their voices heard”. No: all you did was virtue-signal to each other and pat each other on the back. Nothing meaningful accomplished. Typical liberal propaganda nonsense.
I owe you a beer. YES….. you stole my thunder.
No. It is kids who scared for their lives who have learned that none of the adults care enough to do anything.
The kids just want an excuse to get out of class. You think they care about the issue? Nope. Most don’t. They don’t know enough to have an intelligent opinion about it, either. Neither does the bishop.
The bishop’s views could hardly be more disappointing.
McGrath: “Contrary to some, the answer is not more guns, not arming teachers with Oozies or AK-47s.”
Who has argued that teachers should hold Oozies or AK-47s when teaching now? Is that really the position of some? And even if it is, is that the only position we find among those defending an armed faculty? Sadly, the bishop seems to be dishonestly representing his opponents. Is he just ignorant?
Perhaps more disturbing: “Swords, guns and all weapons need to be turned into proverbial plowshares.”
Communists and criminals agree. Why is that?
This quote goes after the proverbial plowshares line. But before this can happen…
Hearts must first be converted…
To peace, to justice, to care for one another,
Each and all as sisters and brothers,
Dedicated to the common good,
Sharing the common humanity,
Even if not a common faith.
Oozie is misspelling for ‘uzi’
“Standing in solidarity” are cheap words and means nothing. Empty show.
Did’ya notice how he subtly encouraged the kids to vote Democrat? I thought Obama was supposed to be the great agent of change. How did that work out? It will always be a call for “change” from these ignorant politicking bishops and others.
Bishops live and die by the collection. Parishioners have a chance to be the change that makes San Jose more Catholic. Just sayin’…
I haven’t heard anyone recommend that teachers carry an Uzi or an AK-47. I’m concerned about the news sources that Bishop McGrath consults.
Pandering to kids who are being used by fanatical gun control lefties. Another example of why bishops should keep their personal opinions to themselves.
No actually the bishops should show America how it is done by making their schools safe.
The answer is to get rid of Restorative Justice principles in government schools and discipline students. The bishops condone restorative justice https://www.cacatholic.org/restorejustice/schools
Obama’s PROMISE program was enforced in Broward schools, a hands-off Restorative Justice failed program. https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/02/26/broward-county-likely-inspiration-for-obama-school-discipline-policy-to-report-fewer-arrests-suspensions/
Actually Your Excellency what should have been done by you in the hierarchy was to challenge a corrupt culture that promotes Death . But you were too busy with social issues and tolerance
The bishop should not be standing in solidarity with these students, he should be their to arm them. The Parkland school shooting occurred in public school, where contraception and abortion are taught as rights and homosexuality and transgenderism as another form of normal. These students were all ready being morally disarmed. As Satan prowls the world to devour souls, why wouldn’t he choose a public school. We want to see innocence but what does he see. It is the duty of the bishop to prepare his flock to meet God by arming them with the truth and strengthening with the sacraments. This cheap stunt does neither.
Feudal Japan existed for generations under the lash of Professional Killers – the Samurai, who spent their lives training with edged weapons, and could not be stood up to by the rest who had to work to support all
The introduction of gunpowder weapons (which virtually anyone could use to Equalize the battleground) put an end to the Samurai, and good riddance
The warped travesty of Bushido led to atrocities throughout Asia / Pacific, including Japanese Army instructions for using captured prisoners as ‘long pig’ in the jungle – also put to an end by weapons
Just to be nit picky about it, one wonders where the title to this came from and whether it was a deliberate ‘error’, made on purpose?
Uzi is an Israeli arms manufacturer famed for its 9mm submachine gun
Oozie is Burmese term for an elephant rider/controller more commonly known by the Indian term ‘Mahout’
Just Sayin
Many people today, run to buy guns, because our society is lawless, and people do not feel safe. The best protection, is not a gun– but a full return of our entire Nation, to our Judeo- Christian religious and moral foundations– with good manners and morals, everywhere! “Love thy neighbor”– and grow up, behave well, form good communities! No more 1960s!
Long ago, when I was growing up, in a semi-rural town– no one ever locked their doors! Catholic churches were never locked, either– and convents and rectories were chock-full! Many of America’s towns and neighborhoods, at that time, were stable, with some families living in the same place, for generations. People knew each other, knew all the kids, and looked out for each other. About 80-90% of Americans went to church (or synagogue), weekly. We had almost no crime at all, in that small town! Kids grew up quickly, married often right after high schol graduation, and settled down, to raise families, start careers, help their community– and be good American citizens!
My relative saw this article and decided CCD is a typical liberal website. LOL
Google also says oozie is a type of computer job control software. Beyond that, the technical details blew directly over my head.
The answer to these situations includes teachers armed with glocks, a King James Version of the Bible in every classroom and a picture of our current President displayed in every classroom.
“King James Version of the Bible”: that version of the Bible wrongfully omits sacred books like Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and Maccabees. Nobody has the authority to omit these works. The King James Version of the Bible, with all due respect to you, is an abomination.
We must surely be living in the last days when our clergy parrot liberal bumper sticker slogans as reasons and remedies for gun violence.
Why make this a political speech when the youth needed a moment of prayer with the bishop?
Last week we received a fundraising appeal letter from Brother Philip Anderson, the abbot of Annunciation Monastery of Clear Creek in Hulbert, OK. Br. Philip wrote the following regarding the Florida school murders:
“For the better-informed Christian, this recent killing is not very surprising. When a society loses touch with the well-springs of authentic culture and thrives instead on the pride of its technology and the promise of ever more individualistic freedoms and pleasures, there is danger lurking at the door – a ‘culture of death.’ Sadly, too many citizens have yet to awaken to the simple fact that when faith becomes weak and truth a mere relative notion – when we lose our spiritual bearings and even our very soul – peace…
Ding, ding– winner! Someone of sanity and faith who can properly diagnose the moral sewer we are in.
My comment was truncated; here is the rest of it………
“…..and social sanity cannot be maintained.”
It is a shame that Br. Philip was not speaking to the youth at Archbishop Mitty H.S. He would have provided some real meat for the students to chew on rather than the thin gruel which Bishop McGrath served up.
He’s right, we need to act. We need to help fix fatherless homes. Fix society which views sex as only for pleasure. Fix the rampant individualism that comes with hedonism. We can ban divorce, birth control, abortion, and homosexual unions. This is how to fix society, and restore social order.
Part of the answer is stopping terrorists by controlling immigration.
Does this bishop’s ignorance have any limits?
Why would anyone who claims to believe and be a follower of Christ own a gun? Maybe if you use a gun to hunt to feed your family?
It’s so contrary to every thing Christ said.
There a passage where Jesus tells his followers to buy swords, but what were the swords for? They were obviously not intended for self-defense as we see in the passage with Peter cutting off the ear of the one who came to capture Jesus and since we know all of the Apostles were martyred (except John). They were obviously not to kill people since killing people is sinful.
Anon: your comment without a doubt was the most ignorant comment I have read on this site. More than once I have used my gun to defend my home and will do it again. I understand you are tolerant liberal who believes that people who defend their homes against criminals are racists. So I should have let my Wife be victim of assault in the name of tolerance and diversity..
Do you have the Holy Name of Jesus written over your doors?
Actually Anon 20+C.M.B+18 is over both doors
Write JESUS on a little piece of paper and tape it above your doors.
See The Wonders of the Holy Name by Father Paul O’Sullivan. It is online here
https://www.olrl.org/pray/wonders.shtml
We also keep blessed palms above our doors.
It is interesting that your mind created a persona (not in any way accurate) for someone who made a comment that you don’t agree with.
What does racism and diversity have to do with this?
So your answer is: A follower of Christ could own a gun to protect his family.
OK.
I suspect that you would have problems passing a background check to get a gun. OK.
No I wouldn’t.
I have recently read (although it is a private revelation) that if you put a Crucifix over your door, evil cannot enter.
You can’t enter into my house.
Bohemond, I don’t want to share much here, but I was raised in a home where a gun was used irresponsibly. We all survived. But I do not trust anyone with a gun. I don’t involve myself in the political discussions because for me it is personal. I don’t understand why people want to hurt other people. I don’t understand why God allows children to be killed by their parents, by their friends, by strangers. I know this is not heaven. I hope those who have been killed by gun violence, domestic violence and terrorism will go to heaven and be glad to be out of this world.
I own a gun a Anon as I do not trust government and will not be a victim or a sheep
In the family that I was raised in, it was very important to be a good victim. Even now, if someone one stands up to the abusive person, they are considered to be in the wrong and the other victims turn on them real hard. A gun in my house would be a temptation that some could not resist. Dysfunctional families are a blast. God bless you.
I own three guns. I have a concealed carry permit. I carry at Mass. I will use my guns to protect myself, my family and innocent people who are threatened by an assailant. That is my God-given right and in no way is contrary to Catholic faith. Killing in self defense is not sinful if that is necessary for defense.
Are you a policeman?
I’m not being argumentative. I would like to know what is the basis for the idea that owning a gun is a God-given right?
The God-given right to own a gun is a derivative of the God-given right to self defense and the God-given right to private property.
Thank you for your answer.
What you are doing is called trolling. You are causing people to waste their time by responding to stupid comments.
so stop posting.
Stop talking to yourself.
A defenseless society encourages gun violence.
Want to be Famous?
Want to be endlessly discussed in the Media (TV, Papers, Internet…) ?
Want people to pay attention to Your Message?
Want your picture published around the World?
Shoot Somebody (the bigger the body count the more the coverage) and live to be captured
Your Due Process Rights will overcome those of the corpses you created… And Your Grievances will be sympathized with by Future Wanna-Bees seeking even greater In-Fame.
Remember – if it bleeds it leads (the ‘news’); 3 cheers for the bought and paid for ‘free press’
BTW – on a Practical Note:
It is ridiculous to discuss arming teachers and the like with AK-47 and similar sub machine guns – given the likelihood of shooting anyone but the assailant
The AK is the ‘Tool of the Revolution’ worldwide, and notorious for its durability and reliability – although far less accurate than throwing rocks
US Troops refer to using an AK as ‘spray and pray’ – that you hit whatever you were allegedly aiming at
An accurate handgun will deter as effectively, and with far greater precision than a monster of the Revolution
Close the schools until they can be made safe. Metal detectors, bullet proof doors and screens, etc.
All parents need to keep their kids home until it is done. They need more resource officers not armed teachers. Kids need to be watched at all times and any bullying needs to be corrected with suspension.
The safest school my son ever attended was a small private school. A retired police officer stood at the one entrance and greeted every kid who came in. He loved them and they loved him.
Put TSA at the entrance to every school.
Why are guys like this so laughably misinformed? You do realize that someone with a weapon is needed to stop a criminal with a weapon…..riiiiight?
And why, like the anti death-penalty fanatics, do they NEVER offer a solution? Capital offenders (traitors, rapists, murderers) should not be executed, fine, but how should they be punished justly? They never say. If arming responsible people isn’t the answer, what do you say is the answer?
You are so right. They don’t want the death penalty for murderers. They don’t want life in prison for murderers. They want to make it illegal for the victims of crime to own weapons. They want our Nation’s borders to continue to remain open to murderers and gangs. They refuse to imprison those who enter our country illegally and repeatedly kill others with motor vehicles without even having a driver’s license. They just want the innocent people to be killed by the guilty.
Most of the people who kill are not career criminals. They are people who probably would not kill if they did not have a gun. You can speculate on all the other ways a person could kill, but it isn’t really going to happen. Guns turn someone yelling in a school hallway into a national tragedy. Guns turn a punch in the nose into a funeral.
By insisting on being able to buy guns for yourself, you have armed school shooters and domestic murderers and even terrorists.
Yes!!! Let’s disarm the righteous and let only thugs have guns!!!! That is the key to societal progress!!!! And while we are at it, we should tear down all the prisons too!
Let’s not let thugs have guns. Let’s not let mentally ill and emotionally unstable people have guns. Let’s not let criminals have guns. Let’s not let children have guns.
In areas where there are gun control laws, the thugs have guns and the innocent don’t. That is not fair. This is discrimination. Gun control laws are discriminatory against the innocent.
Um…that is what you just said you wanted.
How do you know which Anonymous you are talking to?