Join us in our third annual Lenten Fast to End Gun Violence
To Catholic Sisters, our partners, and people of faith:
As Catholics, our faith calls us to nonviolence, and our hearts are broken by the constant gun violence in the United States. In response to the gun violence epidemic, we invite you to join in our third annual Lenten Fast to End Gun Violence. Once again, we will offer our fast as a prayer to God and an opportunity to publicly appeal to our civic communities for action to reduce gun violence.
We will join our hearts, minds, and bodies in a sacrifice—according to our capability—as an expression of love, in a spirit of generosity, willingly abstaining from food and drink or undertaking other meaningful sacrifices as we put forth our united call for people to lay down their guns and enact gun violence prevention legislation. This year, our fast will deepen our awareness of the effects of gun violence on individuals, families, and communities.
The toll gun violence takes on our communities is staggering. Every day, 125 people are shot and killed, and more than 200 people are shot and wounded. Troublingly, the leading cause of death of children and teens in the United States is firearms. Death by suicide, homicide, and mass shootings ravage our communities at rates 26 times higher than other high-income nations. In 2023, 46,728 deaths involved guns; 58% of these were gun suicides. Despite public support, gun violence prevention legislation stagnates in Congress, and many state and local representatives enact extreme laws that ignore the public call for gun violence prevention legislation.
The physical, emotional, psychological, financial, and spiritual toll on individuals and communities cannot be expressed in statistics alone. The experiences of our family members, friends, and communities witness to the devastating and persisting effects of gun violence. They call us to walk with them in their grief and healing. They call us to advocate for justice and an end to gun violence.
As we prepare for the Lenten season, we reflect on this reality and the devastating effects of gun violence on our nation. The loss of life and the continuous toll of grief and trauma on individuals, families, and communities compel us to take action to change our society to protect life.
We hope that members of our coalition congregations and like-minded individuals will join us in this fast. Please share this invitation with your community members and networks. To help us demonstrate the breadth of this movement, please complete our commitment form at bit.ly/NAGVLent2026.
In addition to your fast, we encourage you to engage in three components:
PRAYER: All are invited to gather virtually for an Ash Wednesday Prayer Service to begin our fast on Wednesday, February 18 at 2 p.m. ET. Please register at bit.ly/2026AshWed. It will be livestreamed on YouTube concurrently, and the recording can be watched at any time afterward at the same link.
EDUCATION: On Ash Wednesday and each Sunday, participants will receive an email with a reflection by someone who has been directly affected by gun violence, along with scripture and ways to learn more. These reflections will also be posted on our website.
ADVOCACY: Though Jesus told us not to brag about our fasting, it is important to use this fast as a witness to the urgency of the gun violence epidemic. At nunsagainstgunviolence.org, we will provide resources to assist you in publicly acknowledging your fast, information about any relevant legislation, and how to contact your national and local representatives.
If you have additional questions, please contact us at info@nunsagainstgunviolence.org.
Thank you for your participation in this Lenten Fast to End Gun Violence. May our prayers and fast strengthen the desire to create a society of peace.
Peace,
Mary Ann McGivern, SL
Peace Activist
Sisters of Loretto
Dr. Jennifer Kryszak
Director of Strategic Planning
Franciscan Peace Center
Angela Howard-McParland
Justice Resource Manager
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Maryann Mueller, CSSF
JPIC Coordinator
Felician Sisters
Diana Rawlings, ASC
ASC Community Volunteer
Adorers of the Blood of Christ
Kim Westerman
Communications Director
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Nuns Against Gun Violence Coalition