Bishop Cistone calls for an end to violence, urges all to pray for peace

SAGINAW – The Most Reverend Joseph R. Cistone, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, urges that the violence experienced in the City of Saginaw should be a concern of the entire community:

“These senseless shootings shake the security of all of us, most especially those living in the City of Saginaw. While our prayerful love and support goes out to the victims of these recent attacks, as well as their families, the tragic death of a 9-year-old boy and the serious injury of a 10- year-old girl emphasizes, all the more, the urgency for our community to work together to find ways to end this bloodshed.”

He also called on members of the interfaith community to pray for peace and an end to the shootings and to work together to find solutions to this problem:

“I call upon all people of good will to join me in our prayers for peace and efforts to identify ways of ridding our neighborhoods of these devastating crimes. In the coming month of October, observed by Catholics as Respect Life Month, I ask that special prayers and petitions be offered for the safety of our community and an end to violence.”

Bishop Cistone was installed as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw on July 28, 2009. The diocese is home to an estimated 119,000 Catholics worshiping in 105 parish communities throughout 11 counties in mid-Michigan: Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw, Sanilac, and Tuscola counties.