Deadly break-in at Arizona church puts spotlight on issue of clergy possessing weapons
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A deadly burglary at an Arizona church is raising questions about the wisdom of clergy possessing weapons, no matter how dangerous their mission.
Authorities say a Roman Catholic priest responding to a break-in last week at his downtown Phoenix church grabbed a handgun that ended up in the burglar's hands — and was then used to kill a fellow priest who tried to help.
Many American Catholic leaders have argued that church teaching compels them to advocate for greater limits on guns, but self-defense is also part of Catholic theology, and Catholics have different views of the issue.
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Concern about security at churches has grown in the last decade or so in the wake of several high-profile shootings.
The Diocese of Phoenix has no policy on priests carrying guns.