Pope Leo and the 'Pandemic of Arms'

Pope Leo XIV prayed publicly on Sunday for the victims of the shooting at a Catholic school in Minnesota and called for an end to the "pandemic of arms, large and small."

The U.S.-born pope spoke in English as he denounced the attack and the "logic of weapons" fueling wars… pic.twitter.com/a8S2rzKOGz

— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 31, 2025

I expect Pope Leo to pray for the victims of the attack on the children of Annunciation Catholic School and others while they attended Mass. I expect him to pray for an end to violence. I expect him to pray for peace.

As far as the pope taking a stand against guns, I assume he understands that guns are inanimate objects. Guns cannot do anything. Guns do not have a soul. Guns do not have free will.

I wish Pope Leo would have been clearer in his prayer, and called out the perpetrators of evil rather than calling for an end to "arms, large and small."