On September 4, 2024, a 14-year-old student opened fire at a Georgia High School and killed four people. That same week on Saturday, a Kentucky man opened fire on a Kentucky highway seriously injuring five people. These are just two recent incidents demonstrating that gun violence continues to plague our society.
As Catholics we have the responsibility to foster both justice and peace in our communities. Our Lord reminds us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Yet, while striving for peace, we must also respect the right of self-defense. This right is rooted in both natural law and Catholic social teaching. For example, St. Augustine, in his “City of God,” recognized the necessity of defense against evil, but insisted that it be measured and restrained, always aimed toward the restoration of peace. The Church teaches that the right to self-defense must never give way to the glorification of violence or the proliferation of weapons. Hence, we seek a middle path: one that respects the legitimate right to protect oneself and one’s family, while also advocating for policies that protect the common good.
Such policies that balance these two goods could include the implementation of comprehensive background checks for gun purchasers, and the prohibition of certain types of assault weapons. Such policies do not necessarily infringe on the right to defend oneself but can ensure that the right is exercised with responsibility, care, and respect for the sanctify of life. As Catholics, remembering the complementary principles of legitimate self-defense and the common good we can be forces of peace in society.
