Diocese of Belleville/Springfield Offer Support to Minneapolis Church

MINNEAPOLIS — Community members gathered Tuesday at a memorial outside Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis to honor the victims of a shooting that occurred the previous day during a Catholic school Mass, authorities said. The attack left two children dead and 18 others injured.

The shooting took place as students and parishioners were attending a Mass marking the first week of school. The incident has prompted an outpouring of grief and statements from Catholic leaders across the country, including in Belleville and Springfield, IL.

The Very Rev. Godfrey Mullen, OSB, administrator of the Diocese of Belleville, expressed solidarity with the local church community. “I have conveyed our support and concern to Archbishop Bernard Hebda,” Mullen said. He emphasized the church’s commitment to the sanctity of human life and called for building community to support those in need. “May God purify our world from the inclination to inflict terror and harm on one another,” he added.

Bishop John Paprocki of the Springfield Catholic Diocese urged prayers for the victims, their families, and the school community. He described the shooting as “the epitome of evil” and invoked hope through faith, referencing the Incarnation of Jesus at the Annunciation.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also responded to the tragedy. Archbishop William E. Lori, vice president of the USCCB, said, “Whenever one part of the Body of Christ is wounded, we feel the pain as if it were our very own children.” He called on the faithful to pray for protection and healing for the entire Annunciation family.

Authorities continue to investigate the shooting as the Minneapolis community mourns the loss and seeks healing.

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