Blessed are the peace makers.
Seriously. Fr. Pfleger was highlighted on ABC News Sunday.
While Chicago is no stranger to violent crime, since the beginning of the year, crime citywide has gone down.
And one Chicago neighborhood seems to be escaping the bloodshed thanks to a determined priest.
Rival gang members are battling on the court instead of on the streets -- with the prize not being a trophy, but lives saved.
"Nobody wins in a shootout. We are trying to create an atmosphere that when something comes up and we to talk it out rather than shoot it out," Father Michael Pfleger said.
Pfleger started an ongoing weekly basketball league last fall in one of Chicago's most dangerous neighborhoods.
As a result, violence is dramatically down in the community.
Pfleger said among his players, there hasn't been a single shooting. He has received calls from four other gangs who want to become part of the tournament and encourage peace. - ABCNews
I'm impressed. I even teared up.
Song for this post here.
I was expecting something from West Side Story.
ReplyDeleteThere's a place for us.
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