{"id":1870,"date":"2012-12-19T07:29:00","date_gmt":"2012-12-19T07:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/goodness-is-best-response-to-evil-of-shootings-archbishop-aquila-says\/"},"modified":"2012-12-19T07:29:00","modified_gmt":"2012-12-19T07:29:00","slug":"goodness-is-best-response-to-evil-of-shootings-archbishop-aquila-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2012\/12\/goodness-is-best-response-to-evil-of-shootings-archbishop-aquila-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Goodness is best response to evil of shootings, Archbishop Aquila says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Denver, Colo., Dec 19, 2012 \/ 12:29 am (CNA<\/a>).- As the nation mourns the loss of life in the Newtown, Conn. shooting, Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver is saying that goodness and respect for human dignity are the best responses to evil.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cWe're most often the victims of evil when we become objects \u2014 used for someone's else's purposes \u2014 instead of treated with the inherent dignity that comes just from being a person,\u201d the archbishop wrote in a Dec. 18 opinion column for the Denver Post.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cEvil is not defeated by policy. Protracted policy discussions on gun control and school safety are necessary and will be forthcoming, but they will not solve the problem,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cGoodness \u2014 sheer and unabashed goodness \u2014 protects and promotes human dignity. Evil is defeated by love and love alone,\u201d he insisted.<\/p>\n

\tArchbishop Aquila\u2019s penned his column in response to the evil experienced last week when a gunman killed 20 children, six adults and himself at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.<\/p>\n

\tThe experience, the archbishop said, reminds us that \u201cevil is real,\u201d and that there are moral absolutes.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cIn the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary murders, all of us can look with certitude and declare that evil exists.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tHe also pointed out that evil is a perennial problem in the human condition, noting that Homer's works of nearly 3,000 years ago also grapple with the problem.<\/p>\n

\tArchbishop Aquila reminded his readers that beside the shocking acts of objectification of people such as Sandy Hook, there are also daily instances of injustice and objectification that have deep effects on society.<\/p>\n

\tHe mentioned undocumented immigrants who are made objects of xenophobia, poor people who suffer from the greed of others, and children who are made objects of \u201cconvenience, or neglect, or rage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\u201cAnd,\u201d he warned, \u201cwe can easily get in the habit of using people, rather than treating them with the inherent dignity God bestows on every human being.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe archbishop upheld the Jewish concentration camp survivor Victor Frankl as someone who discovered that love is the answer to the problem of evil.<\/p>\n

\tIn keeping with the responding to evil with love, Archbishop Aquila encouraged the celebration of Christmas, because love is \u201cencapsulated\u201d in Christmas' \u201cmessage and truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\u201cMany will not be in the mood for Christmas this year, but there has never been a time when we need that message more.\u201d
\n\t\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Denver, Colo., Dec 19, 2012 \/ 12:29 am (CNA).- As the nation mourns the loss of life in the Newtown, Conn. shooting, Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver is saying that goodness and respect for human dignity are the best responses to evil.<\/p>\n

\t“W…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-us"],"yoast_head":"\nGoodness is best response to evil of shootings, Archbishop Aquila says<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Denver, Colo., Dec 19, 2012 \/ 12:29 am (CNA).- As the nation mourns the loss of life in the Newtown, Conn. shooting, Archbishop Samuel J. 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