Everyone has a stake in overcoming violence

    You met recently with James Carter, the criminal justice commissioner of the city of New Orleans, to discuss the many elements that have fed into the culture of violence in the region. Can you share some of the things you talked about?
    We met a couple of weeks ago, and we’re planning to meet again soon. Our discussions surrounded the breakdown of parenting and mentoring in the community and how we in the archdiocese can make our parenting and mentoring programs prominent within the community. Obviously, that’s not to take away from other parenting or mentoring programs that are doing excellent work, but we want to offer effective programs in our parishes, not just for Catholics but for the broader community. These programs will be for anybody who wants to come. We’re also going to discuss other initiatives that we might be able to do together. It’s very clear to me that the City Council, Mayor Landrieu and I are on the same page. We have to act in a spiritual way through prayer, but we also have to take specific actions within our community to be the peacemakers that God is calling us to be.
    How have city officials described the cycle of violence?
    I’ve consistently heard from Chief Serpas, Mr. Carter and Mayor Landrieu that the vast majority of the violence is coming from people who know each another. There are those times when the violence occurs in the midst of a theft, but to a large extent, the violence is coming from people who know one another. So the question is, how can we help people settle an argument, not by using a gun or a knife, but by acting in a way that is more human and civilized? How can we help people obey the commandment of God: “Thou shalt not kill”?
    What is the archdiocese doing in this anti-violence effort?
    We’ve already got a parenting and mentoring program underway in three parishes – Blessed Seelos in Bywater, St. Joseph the Worker in Marrero and Holy Family in Franklinton. On Jan. 8 next year, the Feast of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, I am hoping to announce the expansion of that program in many other parishes. At the Mass for the victims and survivors of violence on Oct. 30, I asked if there was an easy solution to this problem. The answer is, of course, no. But, is there a solution? Absolutely, yes. The solution is twofold: No. 1, we need to return to spiritual values so that we will know and follow the will of our loving God. No. 2, we need to strengthen family life. Where family life is weak, murder, violence and racism will abound. This is not something just “for those people over there” but for everyone. We all need to take this very seriously.
    When you went to the Save Our Sons anti-violence summit recently, you saw the names of the city’s murder victims flash on a huge TV screen in a 12-minute memorial. What was that like?
    It was heart-wrenching and horrifying. What really affected me at the peace summit were the names and the ages of the victims. Most of them were in their early 20s. That feeling came up again for me after the Violence Mass at the cathedral. As I was greeting people coming out after Mass, they were holding pictures of their loved ones who had been murdered. For many it was a son or a daughter or a sister or a brother. That’s when you realize that the violence doesn’t affect just the person whose life has been taken but so many other people. In one case, three people in one person’s family had been shot. There were children and grandparents sitting on their porch who had been caught in the crossfire. This is unnatural. We can be sure that this is not God’s will. God calls us to live as a peaceful people. We can’t wait for somebody else to do it. All of us as Christians and as Catholics must work on this through prayer and action.
    How important are youth activities?
    This is an opportunity for us to put another focus on youth ministry. The youth ministries that are going well in our parishes can reach out and invite kids who may not ordinarily join their group. In areas where our youth ministry is not as strong, this presents us with a real challenge to take care of our young people and to transmit to them the values of Jesus.
    Can this be turned around?
    We human beings have created a culture of violence in the city of New Orleans and in the metropolitan area. Can it be turned around? Absolutely, yes. It’s going to take time, sacrifice, prayer and a lot of collaboration among a lot of people. I do believe in my heart of hearts that this can be turned around.
    Questions for Archbishop Aymond can be sent to [email protected].