Posted on 04/21/2015 1:28:06 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
An Ann Arbor Catholic priest announced that he will continue to hold concealed pistol license (CPL) classes at Christ the King parish and urged his parishioners to arm themselves, according to a letter he sent following the announcement of the lessons.
The Rev. Ed Fride conducts mass in April 2005 at Christ the King Catholic Church in Ann Arbor.
The Rev. Edward Fride, who sent the letter, called upon his parishioners to not allow themselves to "assume that they live in Mayberry [the fictional North Carolina home of Andy Griffith], trusting that because they know the Lord Jesus, everything will always be fine and nothing bad can happen to them and their families."
Fride first made the announcement about the classes at a Palm Sunday Mass, and the letter was sent to explain his reasoning for offering the CPL lessons. He said that some people expressed discomfort with the idea of guns in the church or the class being held on the church's property, 4000 Ave Maria Dr.
"Several people have said to me, I'm afraid of guns," he wrote. "My response to one woman was, 'well, how do you feel about rape?'"
The Detroit Free Press reported Monday that the Diocese of Lansing, which oversees the Ann Arbor parish, did not approve the content of the letter entitled "We're not in Mayberry Anymore, Toto." Lansing Catholic Bishop Earl Boyea said in a statement that guns and gun lessons do not belong in a Catholic Church.
The letter states that Fride converted to Catholicism as a senior in high school in 1971 and was a pacifist and a conscientious objector from the Vietnam War. Fride wrote that his views changed after study and prayer.
"I began to consider a set of moral scenarios, 'what would I do if' scenarios. I eventually concluded that I was certainly no longer a pacifist absolutist; there were situations in which I would actively intervene, even to a lethal level if necessary," he said.
"...The 'what would Jesus do' is often used as a defense for pacifism, but when you read what Jesus actually does, as Revelation describes as He leads His army to destroy those attacking Israel, to say it does not go well for the bad guys would be something of an understatement."
Fride wrote that the CPL classes will be offered on two more Saturdays and that it is his "fervent hope" that people will take advantage of it.
"I think it perfectly appropriate for the parish to offer this class because the protection of our families and our kids is of paramount importance to us," he said.
The Ann Arbor Public School Board recently passed a new policy that bans guns on school property.
Ben Freed is a general assignments reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Email him at benfreed@mlive.com and follow him on twitter at @BFreedinA2. He also answers the phone at 734-623-2528.
Sorry to hear that. For a moment I thought the church might actually be doing something good here related to the Second Amendment.
Sounds like he’s still encouraging people to arm themselves but they stepped on his idea of providing classes.
Good for him. That’s still a plus. Wonder what his superiors think of that.
This could be part of a new, realistic, relevant Catholicism.
TWB
bkmk
From WWII:
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
And we’ll all stay free
Praise the Lord and swing into position
Can’t afford to be a politician
Praise the Lord, we’re all between perdition
And the deep blue sea
...
Shouting, ‘Praise the Lord, we’re on a mighty mission
All aboard, we ain’t a-goin’ fishin’
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
And we’ll all stay free’
Powerful stuff... Today it's criminals an rapists... Tomorrow it could be ISIS... time for everyone to man up.
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