Have we reached a turning point in the gun control debate?

As I write this, thousands of students across the country are
walking out of their high schools to protest gun violence. April 20
marks the 19th anniversary of the 1999 Columbine High School
shooting in Littleton, Colo., which left 13 dead. At the time, it
was the deadliest school shooting in modern U.S. history.
Tragically, that grisly record had been overtaken several times in
the last two decades, most recently at Marjory Stoneman Douglas
High School in Parkland, Fla. After the Parkland shooting on Feb.
14, which left 17 students and employees dead, listeners asked that
we dive deeper into the topic of gun violence. So this week, we are
talking with Patrick Blanchfield, a writer who has covered the
topic for n + 1 among other publications. We ask him why advocacy
for gun control has been so ineffective; why religion and theology
play such an important role in these debates; and whether the
student activism following the Parkland shooting represents a new
and promising front for those seeking to pass more restrictive gun
laws. In Signs of the Times, Pope Francis admits that he has made
serious mistakes in his handling of the sex abuse crisis in Chile;
Blessed Oscar Romero finally has an official canonization date; and
Catholic agencies are alarmed by the severe drop in the number of
Syrian refugees admitted to the United States. Next, we discuss the
state of Catholic activism: Is it a problem that the most visible
Catholic protesters in peace and justice movements are often baby
boomers? Where are all the millennial Catholics? Finally, need a
good pump up video? Check out these boxing nuns in Poland. Need a
good cry? Watch this video of Pope Francis responding to a young
boy who asks: is my atheist father in heaven? Follow us Twitter
@jesuiticalshow, send us an email at jesuitical@americamedia.org
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leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Links from the show
Pope Francis admits ‘serious errors’ in handling of Chilean sex
abuse cases Oscar Romero canonization probably in Rome in October
Catholic agencies concerned by drastic drop in Syrian refugees
admitted to US Bond Denied for 7 Catholic Protesters Who Prayed on
Nuclear Submarine Base in Georgia VIDEO: Boxing nuns take Poland by
storm ‘Is my dad in heaven,’ little boy asks pope What’s on tap?
Keller Dry-Hopped Lager from Zero Gravity Craft Brewing Learn more
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