I am deeply grieved and outraged by the recent shooting at a Catholic
church in Minneapolis. A sacred place of worship, where men and women
gather in peace and prayer, has been violated by senseless violence. For
Catholics, the church is not only a building, but a sanctuary where the faithful
encounter the presence of God an assault upon it is an assault upon the
dignity and spirit of an entire community.
Equally troubling are the insensitive and dismissive remarks from Mayor
Jacob Frey, who declared that “this is not about prayer.” Such words not only
trivialize the faith of the Catholic community, but also dishonor the suffering of
those who were attacked in the very act of practicing their religion through
prayer. At a moment when leadership demands compassion, respect, and
solidarity, we have instead witnessed grandstanding and callousness.
As someone who has served both as a Catholic seminarian and as a religious
education teacher, I cannot remain silent. Faith is not an afterthought; it is at
the heart of our identity and resilience. When tragedy strikes in a house of
worship, prayer is not a distraction — it is a lifeline. Our leaders should stand
with the faithful in mourning and in defending the sacred, not dismiss the very
foundation of our strength.
I call upon Mayor Frey to retract his remarks and issue a public apology to the
Catholic community. His words have deepened the pain of an already
wounded people, and true leadership requires the humility to acknowledge
when one has spoken wrongly. I further call upon all civic leaders to show
greater respect for the religious character of this tragedy, to recognize the
sanctity of the Catholic community’s grief, and to ensure that justice is
pursued with full seriousness.
Violence may wound us, but it cannot extinguish the light of faith a light that
shines most brightly in darkness.”