Bishop Kevin J. Farrell stands with civic leaders Feb. 12 at the Dallas Museum of Art and extends support to the Men Against Abuse rally scheduled for March 23.
Bishop Kevin J. Farrell delivered a statement at a news conference led by Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings on Feb. 12.
After a spate of recent murders of women, the mayor is seeking more than 10,000 men to attend a rally at 10 a.m., March 23 at City Hall Plaza. Called “Men Against Abuse,” the rally would encourage men to stop accepting the culture of domestic abuse.
“I sincerely commend Mayor Rawlings for turning his concern into action,” Bishop Farrell said. “I fully support his Men Against Abuse initiative to raise awareness and call men to action in trying to stop domestic abuse.
“The recent murders of women in the Dallas area are unfortunately but a microcosm of the national epidemic in which women are abused or die at the hands of a person who is supposed to love them. There is no more cowardly act than for a person who is stronger to bully or abuse a woman, child or anyone who is weaker. Certainly, we must pray for an end to domestic violence, but I agree with Mayor Rawlings that we must also do more.
“I call on all of our Catholic parents to lead by example but to also discuss with their children that violence, bullying and domineering another person, is never acceptable and must not be tolerated. The time has come to hold abusers accountable for their actions and we must always immediately report this heinous crime if and when we see it.
“Let us ask God our Heavenly Father to touch the hearts and minds of those who consider abuse as an option that a conversion will occur that will lead them to always turn away from violence.”
