Provincial Minister Mark Soehner responds to the guilty verdicts in the death of George Floyd:
The gruesome death of George Floyd, as witnessed in the horrific and important video by millions around the world, left many of us holding our breath. The guilty verdicts that the 12 jury members handed down became a collective exhalation for our country. The decision of the jury tells us of the importance of all human life, but specifically that Black lives should always matter. This moment is an opportunity to take another step in dismantling the systemic racism that afflicts us all. As Franciscans we dedicate ourselves to becoming instruments of peace. This demands a fearless moral inventory of our own collusion with racism, and a determination to work for change in our legal, ecclesial and personal lives. Words without actions are useless.