Cardinal George asks religious leaders to commit themselves to programs to reduce gun violence in Chicago. Catholic New World / David V. Kamba

By Michael D. Wamble
STAFF WRITER

The linkage of faith-based organizations, churches and government agencies has been a priority for the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention since last September, when the project invited clergy to enter into a “covenant” committing themselves to a specific plan of action.

Over 130 members of the city’s clergy have signed on to the program funded in part by the U. S. Department of Justice, Chicago Community Trust and several other foundations.

Still, the group’s executive director, Gary Slutkin isn’t satisfied with these results in his united crusade against prevention of handgun assaults and deaths, a condition Slutkin labeled as “a humanitarian emergency.”

On Feb. 15, Slutkin, Cardinal George and representatives of other Christian denominations spoke to members of these three key groups at New Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, to continue a collective call for Chicago’s religious communities to take action against outbreaks of violence in their neighborhoods.

The church is located in the West Garfield Park area of the city’s 11th District, where the project has fully implemented points of attack against violence. To date, 15 fewer people have become victims of gun violence.

Slutkin said he would like to gain additional resources to raise the state of implementation in six other areas where the project works up to the level of West Garfield Park.

According to project data, the rate of shootings has decreased by 75 percent.

Cardinal George praised Slutkin for “re-imagining violence as an epidemic in this country.”

So far, Chicago’s murder count is down by 23 persons in comparison to February 2000.

“That is 23 less funerals, 23 less families to console, 23 more people alive,” said the cardinal.

Project officials encouraged religious leaders to use churches as “safe havens” by offering outreach programs as alternatives to similar activities found in public parks, where gangs have been known to draw up territorial boundaries.

“What would it take to open up a church?,” asked project leader Norman Kerr. “Parks may be OK, but kids may not feel safe to go to parks if they have to ‘catch a beat down’ to get there.”

The cardinal encouraged other religious leaders to move beyond the walls of their houses of worship to touch the lives of those in despair.

“We, as clergy, have to be at the heart of this matter. Imagine what our city would be without violence or the fear of violence,” he said, between two billboard-size posters.

The posters’ goals superimposed on faces of children were clear: “I want to live” and “Don’t shoot! I want to grow up.”

To reach those goals, the cardinal said, clergy must join with civic leaders and outreach workers based in specific communities to build “a stronger, transforming coalition.”