VATICAN CITY -- The Catholic Church's position on gun control is not easy to find; there are dozens of speeches and talks and a few documents that call for much tighter regulation of the global arms trade, but what about private gun ownership? The answer is resoundingly clear: Firearms in the hands of civilians should be strictly limited and eventually completely eliminated. "The answer is resoundingly clear: Firearms in the hands of civilians should be strictly limited and eventually completely eliminated." But you won't find that statement in a headline or a document subheading. It's almost hidden in a footnote in a document on crime by the U.S. bishops' conference and it's mentioned in passing in dozens of official Vatican texts on the global arms trade. The most direct statement comes in the bishops' "Responsibility, Rehabilitation and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice" from November 2000.
On World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, Pope Francis called on the faithful to reach out to the elderly, especially during the summer. During his Sunday Angelus address, he condemned the ongoing production of weapons amid so many global crises and he reflected on the importance of the gestures of offering, giving thanks and sharing during Mass. VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Many elderly people risk feeling an increasingly unbearable sense of loneliness, especially during summer, Pope Francis said. "Let us say 'no' to the loneliness of the elderly! Our future depends a great deal on how grandparents and grandchildren learn to live together," he said after praying the Angelus with visitors gathered in St. Peter's Square July 28. The day marked the Catholic Church's celebration of World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly , whose theme was, "Do not cast me off in my old age." &q