Patron saint against gang violence?

[SoldierOfGod]

I’ve just been on the phone with a friend, and what he told me worries me. I cannot disclose names, simply because it was sensitive information. Suffice to say, this is why I ask. I’ve tried to do a little research, but I’ve come up with practically no results.

 

[Della]

I believe you want: Jude Thaddeus, patron saint of desperate situations, impossible situations, drug addictions, release someone from jail, all business matters, illness, operations, when you feel trapped or lost, strength, hopeless cases, to get out of jail, violence.

 

[marlap2]

What came to mind almost immediately was St. Rita of Cascia.

She endured being the wife of a man who was very violent and abusive. He was in a feud with a neighbouring family (similar to a gang, right?) and before his death, repented and became a gentle man. Her sons were taken from her by the husbands horrible family and were trained to avenge his father’s death. However, they died before that happened. Rita spent the rest of her life as an Augustinian nun.

She’s also the patron saint of lost causes.

 

[jelpmac]

My first gun exposure was with the Boy Scouts, sponsored by my parish in Baltimore City. I hunt, I teach/taught firearms safety and marksmanship in the Marine Corps and the U.S. Army and still do, as well as compete and coach youth and Olympic style shooters. I don’t think guns are inherently evil and feel people have the right to own and use guns for sport and self-defense. And I do believe things like background checks and restrictions are called for, for certain people, under certain conditions, mental or abusive related factors, do factor in. I do believe that protecting the innocent through the use of guns would be or should be sanctioned by the Church, here and in missionary lands but that’s a personal opinion. I had no compunctions about protecting Catholic or Buddhist villages from Viet Cong attacks during my tours of duty in Nam. It was simply the right thing for a Marine to do. Catholic or not, these questions have to be asked of any Marine, military person or law enforcement professional, "can I, should I, will I, shoot or kill if necessary?
Consider that before you purchase a firearm or it may be taken from you and used against you or others. You don’t want that on your conscience. It’s your responsibility to keep your firearms away from those not qualified or restricted from their possession/use.

The same applies to self-defense/home-defense. Even if your shooting choice is simply target shooting, like tin cans on a fence, keeping your firearms from criminals may bring up the issue. While you contemplate that issue, please Google up: “Saint Gerard Possenti” or “Weapons of the Vatican’s Swiss Guard”. Firearms do save lives. Realize that we don’t live in a perfect world, Good people are forced to counter evil ones on a daily basis with whatever means are available and functional. Guns and more defended the globe from Nazism/Facism/Communism a number of times where freedom of choice would have been denied the masses. Remember that also every time you thank a veteran for their service. You must also respect their use of firearms to guarantee your freedoms.

 

[BVMFatima]

Saint Moses the Ethiopian was once part of a gang, but converted to Christianity!

 

[Sky_Pilot]

I would respectfully submit St. Gabriel Possenti.
He was a cloistered in Italy who was summoned because a gang came into town a-plundering.
Father Possenti, or Brother Possenti, went alone and confronted the gang, who of course laughed at him.
He seized a brace of pistols from a brigand’s belt and snapped a shot at a lizard crossing the road, blowing it in two: I believe it was a Colt Navy cap and ball revolver: he eared that stand-up hammer back to full stand and inquired mildly if there were any questions (or words to that effect).
In the face of an armed man, soft spoken, who said “Enough and no more,” the gang departed.
I pray for relief of the situation to which you’ve alluded.

(Reference: possentisociety.com/)

 

[marlap2]

St John Bosco, Modern apostle of youth, who evangelized to the youth gangs of Turin Italy.

catholicism.org/don-bosco.html

 

[jelpmac]

That’s 2 for St. Gerard. Do I hear a 3rd?

 

[mrajax]

My first gun exposure was with the Boy Scouts, sponsored by my parish in Baltimore City. I hunt, I teach/taught firearms safety and marksmanship in the Marine Corps and the U.S. Army and still do, as well as compete and coach youth and Olympic style shooters. I don’t think guns are inherently evil and feel people have the right to own and use guns for sport and self-defense. And I do believe things like background checks and restrictions are called for, for certain people, under certain conditions, mental or abusive related factors, do factor in. I do believe that protecting the innocent through the use of guns would be or should be sanctioned by the Church, here and in missionary lands but that’s a personal opinion. I had no compunctions about protecting Catholic or Buddhist villages from Viet Cong attacks during my tours of duty in Nam. It was simply the right thing for a Marine to do. Catholic or not, these questions have to be asked of any Marine, military person or law enforcement professional, "can I, should I, will I, shoot or kill if necessary?
Consider that before you purchase a firearm or it may be taken from you and used against you or others. You don’t want that on your conscience. It’s your responsibility to keep your firearms away from those not qualified or restricted from their possession/use.

The same applies to self-defense/home-defense. Even if your shooting choice is simply target shooting, like tin cans on a fence, keeping your firearms from criminals may bring up the issue. While you contemplate that issue, please Google up: “Saint Gerard Possenti” or “Weapons of the Vatican’s Swiss Guard”. Firearms do save lives. Realize that we don’t live in a perfect world, Good people are forced to counter evil ones on a daily basis with whatever means are available and functional. Guns and more defended the globe from Nazism/Facism/Communism a number of times where freedom of choice would have been denied the masses. Remember that also every time you thank a veteran for their service. You must also respect their use of firearms to guarantee your freedoms.

THIS. Thumbs up! To be frank, I don’t think killing in self defence is exactly wrong, just as long as it is absolutely utterly necessary. I myself wish to live my life without ever taking a life. The only time I think it is OK to kill someone who isn’t a physical threat at the moment but is a threat to many other people are when they are a sex trafficker a sexual abuser who is impossible to escape from, a serial killer, a tyrant or someone who in general is causing a lot of harm to others.