[Washington National Cathedral] The Very Rev. Gary Hall, dean of Washington Nattional Cathedral, has released a statement in response to the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. This Sunday, December 16, 2012, the dean will preach at the 8:45 and 11:15 am services of Holy Eucharist, calling on the nation to address gun violence.

“The horrific shooting of children and adults in Newtown, Connecticut, is a tragedy that elicits both our grief and our moral outrage on behalf of the victims and their families,” said Dean Hall. “In a political climate unwilling to address the realities of gun violence in America, a wide range of faith traditions, including the Episcopal Church, has strongly advocated gun control for several decades.

“Washington National Cathedral pledges to pray for the victims, their families, the assailant, and the survivors. And we pledge to work with our national leaders to enact more effective gun control measures. As a worshiping community we invite all who grieve this shooting join us in prayer, worship, and action in the days ahead.”