Priest in Ferguson reports deep mistrust between groups fueling tension

A Catholic priest assigned to Ferguson, MO, spoke with Vatican Radio about the "festering" mistrust between the populace and police.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Vatican Radio shared an interview with Fr. Arthur Cavitt, a parish priest who was asked about the situation in Ferguson.

Fr. Cavitt explained that "historical racial tensions" and the widening gap between the "have and have-nots" has exacerbated tensions in the community. Both police and the African American community have a strong mutual distrust of each other.

Pray for peace in Ferguson and across the nation!

Fr. Cavitt also cited disenfranchisement as a problem contributing to the tensions in the town. "There's still people who are feeling left out, who are really left out."

His parish has turned to praying the rosary and last Wednesday he joined a Mass for peace lef by the Archbishop of St. Louis.

Since yesterday's announcement that charges would not be filed against the officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, sporadic violence and protests have erupted in the town. Several stores were looted and burned overnight.

You can listen to the full interview between Vatican Radio and Fr. Cavitt here.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'