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A new law Wisconsin, America permitting residents to carry concealed weapons has the Catholic bishops in the diocese asking parishioners to not bring their guns to church.
“Intuitively, we understand that acts of violence, destruction, and murder are antithetical to the message and person of Jesus Christ and have no rightful place in our society, especially sacred places,” the bishops said in a statement.
“Whatever an individual parish decides to do regarding its policy on concealed weapons, we ask that all people seriously consider not carrying weapons into church buildings as a sign of reverence for these sacred spaces.”
Permitted under the new concealed weapons law are handguns, electric weapons such as stun guns or tasers, knives other than switchblades, and billy clubs. Machine guns, short-barreled rifles and short-barreled shotguns are prohibited.
The bishops said a decision on whether to ban concealed weapons was up to individual churches.
Catholic Mutual Insurance group says that a parish’s insurance cover is no altered by the new law, but recommends a complete weapons ban for parishioners, employees and volunteers.
The Wisconsin law leaves Illinois as the only state that does not allow residents to carry concealed firearms.
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