Catholic bishops oppose “permitless carry” in open letter to Texas legislators

In an open letter to the Texas Legislature and the 8.5 million Catholics who live in the state, the state’s Catholic bishops call on people to join them in opposing “permitless carry,” as it is being presented in a bill that has moved through the Texas House and is expected to be considered by the Texas Senate the week of May 3.

Noting that the state has seen too many mass shootings, the bishops call for a response to “this growing culture of violence with a commitment to life, a vision of hope, and a call to action. HB 1927 fails to reflect a commitment to life or a vision of hope and instead accomplishes nothing more than to make it easier for potentially violent persons to act in anger or delusion.  

“Too often we have seen how guns are used in the public forum by someone acting in anger. Instead of relying on law enforcement and our justice system, people with guns in public areas can become the aggrieved, the jury and the judge, in swift and violent sequence,” the bishops wrote, adding that “respect for the dignity of human life and moral responsibility will be further eroded” with the passage of HB 1927.

The letter was signed by the ordinary for each of the 15 dioceses and the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, including Cardinal Daniel Di Nardo of Galveston-Houston and Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, M.Sp.S of San Antonio.