CHICAGO - Chicago Archbishop decried "easy access to deadly weapons" in his response to the shooting in Orlando early Sunday morning:
Our prayers and hearts are with the victims of the mass shooting in Orlando, their families and our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.
We are grateful to the first responders and civilians who heroically put themselves in harm’s way, providing an enduring reminder of what compassion and bravery look like--even in the face of such horror and danger.
In response to hatred, we are called to sow love. In response to violence, peace. And, in response to intolerance, tolerance.
The people of the Archdiocese of Chicago stand with the victims and their loved ones, and reaffirm our commitment, with Pope Francis, to address the causes of such tragedy, including easy access to deadly weapons. We can no longer stand by and do nothing.
The Cardinal did not mention the killer's identification with radical Islam and ISIS, nor the Catholic Church's teachings against homosexuality.
After Memorial Day, the number of people shot this year in his Chicago archdiocese stood near 1,500 — up more than 50 percent over last year - with 250 killed.
