HARRISBURG, PA — Faith leaders from across Pennsylvania gathered at the State Capitol last week to publicly launch With One Voice, a new interfaith coalition uniting more than 100 clergy, congregations, and lay leaders behind a shared moral call to confront gun violence and press lawmakers for immediate action.
The public launch began with a prayer vigil and continued with a press conference where leaders representing multiple faith traditions urged legislators to advance policies they say are proven to save lives. The coalition is advocating for expanded funding for Community Violence Intervention programs in the state budget, universal background checks, Extreme Risk Protection Orders, secure firearm storage requirements, and bans on ghost guns and machine gun conversion devices.
Rev. Martha Harris, convenor of With One Voice, opened the event by describing the urgency felt by clergy who routinely minister at moments of life and death. She said faith leaders have a responsibility to preserve life, including by engaging directly with lawmakers to promote effective public safety policies.
Bishop Audrey Scanlan of the Episcopal Diocese of the Susquehanna placed the issue in a broader national context, saying communities are demanding leadership amid persistent violence. She called for more than $100 million in the upcoming Pennsylvania budget for community violence intervention programs, describing the approach as a proven strategy for saving lives. Quoting St. Augustine, she said faith leaders must pray while also committing themselves to sustained action.
Rabbi Eric Mollo of Main Line Reform Temple said Jewish scripture teaches leaders to anticipate danger and act before tragedy strikes, likening modern gun safety laws to the biblical commandment to build guardrails on rooftops. He said gun violence in Pennsylvania claims hundreds of lives each year through daily shootings and suicides, often during moments of crisis when time, distance, or intervention could have prevented loss of life.
Speaking on behalf of Bishop Hector Burgos-Nunez, Rev. Dr. Gary Weaver of the United Methodist Church said the moral and spiritual cost of inaction is too high. He said communities deserve safety and that faith leaders are committed to standing together across traditions.
Rabbi Ariana Capptauber of Beth El Temple in Harrisburg cited teachings that hold the destruction of a single life as the destruction of an entire world. Drawing on her previous work with a community violence intervention program, she described watching young people graduate high school, attend college, build careers, and become parents after being given an opportunity to change course.
Sister Donna Breslin of the Blessed Sacrament said women religious across the country have encountered gun violence firsthand through their ministries and believe solutions rest with lawmakers in Harrisburg. She said faith requires persistent advocacy and action on behalf of life.
The gathering also included Omar Muse, director of the Community Crisis Intervention Program at Eddie’s House in Philadelphia, which partners with the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral on gun violence prevention initiatives. Muse said the work demands continued effort, resolve, and commitment.
Harris closed the event by rejecting the notion that prayer alone is sufficient. She said With One Voice was formed because silence is no longer acceptable and that faith compels leaders to call on elected officials to act now to protect communities across the Commonwealth.
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