Mary Perez embraces her son, Felix, a first-grade student at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, during an interfaith prayer service at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis Aug. 28, 2025. The previous day, a shooter opened fire through the windows of the church next to the school during an all-school Mass, killing two children and wounding 18 other victims. (OSV News photo/Tim Evans, Reuters)
Recalling the fear and the cries from students, parents and school staff to "get low, stay down, stay down, don't get up" as bullets tore through Annunciation church at an all-school Mass in Minneapolis, Father Dennis Zehren, the pastor, said it marked a new beginning.
Four days after the now-desecrated church remained closed, the auditorium in the parish school next door was filled with more than 400 people on Aug. 30, hugging, talking, crying and even smiling.
They were celebrating the first weekend Mass since the attack Aug. 27 that killed two students at the elementary school, wounded 18 others and three adults, as Father Zehren was presiding. The suspected shooter was found dead at the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda concelebrated the Mass, and Deacon Kevin Conneely, who ministers at the parish and also was at the all-school Mass, assisted and read the Gospel. It drew people not only from the parish, but from other parts of the archdiocese, including Paul and Maggie Wratkowski and their three children of St. Cecilia in St. Paul.
"We're here to support the Catholic community, the people that are here," Paul Wratkowski said. "God wants us to thrive in community and support and love one another."
But at this Mass, members of the congregation were not in the pews to which they had grown accustomed, Father Zehren said. They were in folding chairs, with the sanctuary on the auditorium's stage. And they were still wrestling with the tragedy that had unfolded.
"It's clear to us all here at Annunciation that we will be sitting in a different pew for a long time to come because of what happened," Father Zehren said in his homily, as the church remained closed and must be reconsecrated before it can be used again for worship.
The Scriptures for the day point to humility, Father Zehren said. Jesus encourages his listeners in the Gospel passage from Luke to avoid taking the seat of honor at a banquet feast. Rather, take the lowest place.
"My good people of Annunciation, my good people of Minneapolis and beyond, we are in a very low place," the pastor said. "We are in a lower place than we could have ever imagined. We can look around and see that this is not our normal seat. This is not where we usually gather, not in our usual worship space."
At the same time, they were seated in the high school auditorium where Masses had been held for decades before the new church was built in 1961, Father Zehren said.
"Jesus speaks about humility, so we come back to our humble beginnings," Father Zehren said. "That's what this day represents. It's a humble beginning. … It's a call to begin again. The tricky part about the virtue of humility is that we don't always get to choose the seating, the chart."
At times, people get the seat of honor, or a seat where they are comfortable, with "all sorts of nice cushions," the priest said.
"But sometimes we have to sit in the dust," he said. "It's a very humbling seat. I know the best thing we can do is just sit there for a while. … Jesus says, 'Can you just sit with me here, in the dust? Because that's where he is. It's the same dust that Jesus fell in when he was carrying the cross. It's the same dust that he bled in. Jesus said, 'Can you just come sit with me and sit in this humble place?"
"That was the very first message we heard on Wednesday morning, when the first bullet came through the window, and the voices crying out, 'Down, down. Get low, stay down, stay down, don't get up,'" Father Zehren said, his voice breaking with emotion.
"But when we were down there, in that low place, Jesus showed us something," he said. "He showed us, 'I am the Lord even here. I am the one who descended into hell. I am the one who had taken on all the darkness and evil in this world, all the forces of darkness and death and evil.' Jesus pointed and he said, 'Can't you see how weak it is? Can't you see how desperate it is? Can't you see that this can never last? Can't you see that this is not why God created us?'"
"Then he showed us. He began to show us a light. It's a new light. The light of a new day is breaking," Father Zehren said. "We watch for that light of a new day…That light of the world is Jesus Christ."
"It reminds us, when death and darkness have done their worst, that's when God says, 'Now see what I will do,'" Father Zehren said.
Annunciation parishioners Sean O'Brien, his wife, Mallory, and their four children were at the Aug. 30 Mass. Sean O'Brien was at the all-school Mass as well, with their 2-year-old daughter, when the shooting occurred. Their fourth grader and first grader were in the pews. Their preschooler was in the church basement. None of them were injured.
"I think capturing how we all felt in such a strong way from the pulpit, it's really meaningful to have a leader (Father Zehren) who can speak to that emotion," said O'Brien, a lifelong member of the parish, where his grandfather was a deacon.
"I came in here optimistic that this community would rebuild, and I now have never been more certain of anything in my life," he said. "I can't wait to see what the Lord will do now."
— Joe Ruff, OSV News
'Hold onto Jesus' hand'
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'Hold onto Jesus' hand': Parents, clergy process Minneapolis Catholic school shooting's aftermath
MINNEAPOLIS — As the sun set the evening of Aug. 28, mourners lingered in front of Annunciation Catholic Church before a robust memorial of flowers, stuffed animals, toys and candles.
Visitors of all ages wrote messages on large pads of paper, others in chalk on the sidewalk.
"Our hearts with you," read one.
"You are in my prayers," read another.
A third: "There will be a day with no more pain or suffering. Hold onto Jesus' hand until that day. He's got you."
Since the morning, parishioners and school families, neighbors and others had come to the church, many with bouquets, some cut from their own late-summer gardens, all aiming to express solidarity with a Catholic community grieving the loss of life, health and sense of security in the aftermath of a school shooting.
"Your mind just can't leave those parents who lost kids," said Megan Kirchner, 40, who tearfully walked around the church exterior in the waning light with her partner and three children.
That afternoon, the father of a slain child, 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, stood before the memorial to address the community. Jesse Merkel recalled his son as a boy who loved family, fishing, cooking and sports.
"Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life," said Merkel, with the hand of Annunciation Catholic School Principal Matt DeBoer on his shoulder. "We love you, Fletcher. You will always be with us."
Fletcher was one of two students killed in church pews Aug. 27 when a shooter fired with three guns through the church's exterior windows into an all-school Mass. The other student was 10-year-old Harper Moyski, whose parents recalled her as "bright, joyful and deeply loved."
Eighteen others -- 15 children and three adults in their 80s -- were also injured and treated at nearby hospitals. On Aug. 28, one victim remained in critical condition, with two others in serious condition, according to the emergency medical team at Hennepin County Medical Center, a Level 1 trauma center in downtown Minneapolis.
The 23-year-old suspected shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the church's parking lot, according to law enforcement, who were working to pinpoint a clear motive for the act of violence.
Boards covered seven of Annunciation's narrow stained-glass windows, behind another memorial set against a young oak tree.
"Just words don't work any more," read a sign tucked into clusters of hydrangeas, sunflowers and roses.
The memorial was a spontaneous response for a reeling community, one frequently described as "tight-knit" -- both as a parish and preK-8 school, and also as a neighborhood, where many school families live within walking distance.
Or running distance -- as evidenced by how many parents literally ran to the school when they heard of the shooting, which occurred around 8:30 a.m., as Mass attendees were preparing to sing the "Alleluia."
Father Erich Rutten witnessed those parents rushing on foot to the school as he followed a barrage of police cars to the church that morning. The pastor of two nearby parishes and chaplain of their shared elementary school, Father Rutten happened to be driving through the neighborhood and stopped, without knowing what had transpired, to provide pastoral assistance at Annunciation -- a parish where he had served on staff decades ago, before entering seminary.
When he arrived on the scene, parents did not "know if their child was alive or dead," he said. "They're just panicked and scared."
For 45 minutes, he tried to offer support to parents, especially those who appeared to be alone, and prayed the rosary with some of them. Ultimately, he spent almost three hours at the parish, and was with one family as they were informed their child had died.
"Just that kind of the bottom-of-your-soul scream of despair -- that was really, really awful. Awful," he said.
Father Rutten recalled the previous day's events following an evening ecumenical prayer service Aug. 28 at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. The service drew a range of Minneapolis religious leaders as well as hundreds of mourners who filled the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis' co-cathedral.
Among them were Mary Perez, 32, and her son, Felix, a first-grader at Annunciation who had been at the all-school Mass and witnessed students shot and injured. Mary brought Felix to the prayer service so he could find comfort in the community's support.
"I thought it'd be important for Felix to know that he's not alone in this, that this is a safe place," said Mary, a Catholic. "We're all going to come back from this, and he has people behind him, and I don't want him to be afraid of the church."
Six-year-old Felix said that he remembers "all of it," especially how Principal DeBoer told the students to get down. Eighth-graders protected some of the younger students, Mary said.
"A friend of mine got hit in the forehead," Felix told OSV News. "When I was hiding, I saw somebody covered in blood, and they were wearing a green sweatshirt covered in blood."
Mary's brother, 24-year-old Benjamin Bozer, wept next to his wife, Penny, as he heard his nephew recount the events.
"Growing up, I was always worried that it could happen to me; but the fact that it could happen to someone so young, it's just senseless," he said. "Nobody should have to go through this. Nobody should have to witness this."
Annunciation parishioner and former teacher Janet Parker, whose now-grown children once attended the school, also attended the basilica's prayer service.
"It's so strange to see your community in the news framed this way," she said. "It was numbing."
Jiyun Kim, whose Korean Catholic St. Andrew Kim Parish has worshipped at Annunciation's church since 2023, felt similarly. The 40-year-old brought her two children, ages 10 and 13, to visit Annunciation's memorial the evening of Aug. 28.
While her children do not attend the school, their ages make her "feel really connected and related to what happened to the families and the community," she said. "I couldn't imagine how I'm going to feel during the Mass every weekend."
Yet, she said, "when I see those flowers and the people crowded here, I feel we get stronger. We support each other, and that's how our community heals each other. So when somebody falls, somebody will hold their hands, and then somebody will support their back. That's how we make our community."
The Twin Cities' Catholic clergy have played an important role in supporting Annunciation's families. St. Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda has repeatedly praised the response of Annunciation pastor Father Dennis Zehren, who became the parish's pastor in June, as well as Deacon Kevin Conneely, who was ordained in 2023.
After ministering at Annunciation to families in the hours after the shooting, Father Rutten headed to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he sat in the waiting room with families. St. Paul and Minneapolis Auxiliary Bishop Kevin T. Kenney, who serves as pastor of a downtown Minneapolis church and grew up attending Annunciation, also headed to HCMC that morning, immediately after hearing the news of the shooting.
"I was there in the waiting room as families were rushing down there, and they didn't know what state, what condition their child was in, so they're all panicking," he said.
He was "just trying to give them a presence, a calm presence, a supportive presence to know they were not alone," he added.
Meanwhile, fellow Auxiliary Bishop Michael J. Izen was called to nearby Children's Minnesota Hospital to offer anointing of the sick to an injured Annunciation student.
In responding to a tragedy, "there's always an initial, 'What am I going to say? What can I do?' And then you realize that people are just comforted and pleased by your presence" as a priest, he said.
Across the Mississippi River in St. Paul, both bishops preached Aug. 28, along with Archbishop Hebda, at a noon prayer service at the Cathedral of St. Paul.
Bishop Izen addressed key questions on the minds of many Twin Cities Catholics, especially with the shooting having occurred during Mass.
"Where was Jesus yesterday? Where was Jesus at 8:30 in the morning at Annunciation?" he asked. "Why during a school Mass? Why an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old? Why right here in the Twin Cities?"
"There's no shortage of questions, but only one answer: Jesus Christ," he said.
"Where was Jesus during that time, during the Mass, the shooting? He was right there on the cross suffering with them," he said. "The Lord always wants us, in those times of suffering, to turn to the cross. So turn to our Lord. Go to Jesus."
— Maria Wiering, OSV News
Fletcher loved his family, Harper was a 'joyful' big sister
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Fletcher loved his family, Harper was a 'joyful' big sister: Annunciation shooting victims mourned
Eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel "loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking and any sport that he was allowed to play." Ten-year-old Harper Moyski was a "joyful" big sister, who was "bright" and "deeply loved."
The parents of both children confirmed as victims of the Aug. 27 shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church issued their first statements in the aftermath, mourning the loss of their children.
Jesse Merkel, Fletcher's father, said the hole left in his family's hearts by his son's death will never be filled, during an Aug. 28 press conference outside Annunciation School in Minneapolis.
In his remarks, Jesse Merkel said they would never be allowed to "watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming."
He also noted prayers for the family of Harper Moyski and of the other people affected by the shooting, and expressed gratitude for "the swift and heroic actions of children and adults alike" inside the church.
"We ask not for your sympathy, but your empathy as our family and our Annunciation community grieve and try to make sense of such a senseless act of violence," Merkel said. "Please remember Fletcher for the person he was, and not the act that ended his life."
Harper was a "bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone," her parents, Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin, said in a statement issued Aug. 28.
"Our hearts are broken not only as parents, but also for Harper's sister, who adored her big sister and is grieving an unimaginable loss. As a family, we are shattered," they said.
"While our immediate focus is on Harper and our family's healing, we also believe it is important that her memory fuels action. No family should ever have to endure this kind of pain. We urge our leaders and communities to take meaningful steps to address gun violence and the mental health crisis in this country," they continued.
"Harper's light will always shine through us, and we hope her memory inspires others to work toward a safer, more compassionate world."
Choking back tears, Fletcher's father pleaded: "Give your kids an extra hug and kiss today."
He said, "We love you, Fletcher, and you'll always be with us."
— OSV News
The Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota has established The Annunciation Hope and Healing Fund to provide financial support for the needs of the church and school and to provide support to those affected by the tragedy. Donate online at https://secure.myvanco.com/L-ZM37/campaign/C-1619X
Nation reels as Catholic school shooting in Minneapolis leaves 2 dead, 17 injured
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Nation reels as Catholic school shooting in Minneapolis leaves 2 dead, 17 injured
Families and loved reunite following a deadly mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis Aug. 27, 2025. A shooter opened fire with a rifle through the windows of a the school church and struck children celebrating Mass during the first week of school, killing two and wounding 17 people in an act of violence the police chief called “absolutely incomprehensible.” (OSV News photo/Ben Brewer, Reuters)ST. PAUL, Minn. — A deadly mass shooting took place the morning of Aug. 27 at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis shortly after the start of the school day during an all-school Mass at the adjacent Annunciation Catholic Church.
The gunman shot from the outside of the church through windows at the Mass attendees with a rifle, shotgun and pistol, killing two children, ages 8 and 10. According to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, 17 others are injured, including 14 children. Three adults who were shot were parishioners in their 80s.
While there were "a range of injuries" among the injured children, they are all expected to survive, O'Hara said during an afternoon press briefing.
The suspected gunman is also dead and believed to have taken his own life in the parking lot.
Local media is reporting the suspected shooter was 23-year-old Robin Westman, who formerly went by Robert, and that his mother had been an employee of Annunciation.
Court documents filed in Dakota County, accessed by OSV News on Aug. 27, indicate that Westman identified as female and petitioned to formally undergo a name change to reflect that identity. The request was granted on Jan. 15, 2020.
O'Hara confirmed that Westman appeared to have barricaded at least two of the church's exterior doors with two-by-four wooden boards to trap Mass attendees inside.
Aug. 27 was the third day of the school year for the Catholic elementary school, which serves students in preschool to grade eight. Students were attending an all-school Mass that began at 8:15 a.m. Authorities were alerted at 8:27 a.m.
Diocese of Charlote's Schools Office asks faithful to stand in solidarity with Minneapolis shooting victims, reiterates safety measures
In response to today’s shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and Church in Minneapolis, the diocese’s Catholic Schools Office shared a message to parents asking everyone to stand in solidarity with the victims, their families and the entire parish community. Read more.
The mass shooting at Annunciation appears to be the first of its kind involving a Catholic school since the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Littleton, Colorado.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey joined O'Hara in speaking to media on the scene during a mid-morning press conference. Dr. Thomas Wyatt, chair of emergency medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center, a Level 1 trauma center in downtown Minneapolis, also provided reporters an update on victims' status. He said 11 patients were taken to HCMC, among them two adults and nine children ages 6-14.
"Don't just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying," Frey said. "They should be able to go to school or church in peace without the fear or risk of violence and their parents should have the same assurance."
"There are no words that can capture the horror and the evil of this unspeakable act," he said.
Father Erich Rutten, pastor of nearby St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, arrived on scene this morning to pray with and comfort distraught and grieving parents at the school.
The priest told NBC News that parents were in "great, great anxiety and grief," with some "wailing and crying, some stooping to the ground."
He told the news outlet that he hugged those he recognized; several of them joined in as he prayed the rosary.
Bishop Kevin T. Kenney, auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, who grew up attending Annunciation Parish, rushed from the downtown Minneapolis parish where he serves as pastor to Hennepin County Medical Center to comfort families. He told local ABC affiliate KSTP , "It's just unbelievable that this could happen, still today."
It's "very sad for the community, for the families, and very sad for the families who have lost loved ones," he said.
"I have talked to a few (families) whose children are in surgery or being cared for," he added. "Just panicking, of course they're in shock and worried, asking, 'Why, why?' So I'm just here to comfort. They also have a wonderful staff inside as well to comfort the people and to just walk with them in these hours ahead."
He said, "It's a horrible, horrific way for all the students to begin the school year. Safety procedures were put in place, people come excited to go back to school, very excited about an academic year, feeling safe in south Minneapolis, and now look what happened."
Annunciation's former interim pastor Father Robert Hart, 77, told NBC News that the school shooting was "unbelievable."
"It's hard to believe that this could happen at a Catholic Mass," he said. The priest described Annunciation as a "very close-knit and very supportive" community.
President Donald Trump said on the X social media platform that he has "been fully briefed" on the shooting.
"The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene," he said. "The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!"
Also on X, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said that he has been "briefed on a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and will continue to provide updates as we get more information. The BCA and State Patrol are on scene. I'm praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence."
Kristi Noem, secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said on X that "DHS is monitoring the horrific shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. We are in communication with our interagency partners, and will share more information as soon as it becomes available. I am praying for the victims of this heinous attack and their families."
Bishops and Catholic leaders across the country have issued their condolences and offered prayers in solidarity with the church in Minnesota.
“As a Church, we are following the tragic news from Annunciation School in Minneapolis with heartbreaking sadness," said Archbishop William E. Lori, vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in a statement. "Whenever one part of the Body of Christ is wounded, we feel the pain as if it were our very own children. Let us all beg the Lord for the protection and healing of the entire Annunciation family."
Pope Leo XIV also offered prayers, according to a message to Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state.
"His Holiness Pope Leo XIV was profoundly saddened to learn of the loss of life and injuries following the shooting that took place at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, and he sends his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child," he wrote.
"While commending the souls of the deceased children to the love of Almighty God, his Holiness prays for the wounded as well as the first responders, medical personnel and clergy who are caring for them and their loved ones," Cardinal Parolin continued. "At this extremely difficult time, the Holy Father imparts to the Annunciation Catholic School community, the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and the people of the greater Twin Cities metropolitan area his apostolic blessing as a pledge of peace, fortitude and consolation in the Lord Jesus."
In a statement, Archbishop Bernard said he was grateful for prayers and asked that they continue.
"I beg for the continued prayers of all of the priests and faithful of this Archdiocese, as well for the prayers of all men and women of good will, that the healing that only God can bring will be poured out on all those who were present at this morning’s Mass and particularly for the affected families who are only now beginning to comprehend the trauma they sustained," he said.
"My heart is broken as I think about students, teachers, clergy and parishioners and the horror they witnessed in a Church, a place where we should feel safe," he said.
He noted that the shooting at Annunciation happened only a day after another shooting in South Minneapolis near Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, where one person was killed and six were injured.
The back-to-back shootings "increases the sadness about the pain and anger that is present in our communities," he said. "We need an end to gun violence. Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetrated against the vulnerable and innocent."
Archbishop Hebda said a prayer service has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 27 at Academy of the Holy Angels in Richfield, about 2 miles south of Annunciation.
Archdiocesan staff members, he added, "are working with the parish and school teams to make sure they have the support and resources they need at this time and beyond."
Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, asked for prayers on X.
"Friends, this morning there was a shooting at Annunciation Catholic Parish in Minneapolis. Please join me in praying for all those who were injured or lost their lives -- along with their families," he wrote. "Let us also pray for the students, faculty, and entire parish community," he wrote."
Bishop Patrick M. Neary of St. Cloud, Minnesota, also expressed his grief over the shooting.
"Today, our hearts are shattered by the horrific act of violence that occurred at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis. Children were gathered for Mass. Teachers were beginning a new school year. Families were entrusting their loved ones to the care of the Church," he said in a statement.
"I grieve deeply with the families, students, staff and parishioners of Annunciation. I grieve with our neighbors in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. And I grieve with every person who now carries the trauma of this senseless violence.
"As Catholics, we believe in the dignity of every human life. That dignity is destroyed when violence becomes routine," he continued. "May Christ, the Prince of Peace, bring healing to all who are wounded, and may Our Lady of Sorrows intercede for us in this time of grief."
— Maria Wiering, OSV News
We ask for your prayers and action, rooted in hope
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Archbishop Hebda after Catholic school shooting: We ask for your prayers and action, rooted in hope
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda told media Aug. 27 that prayers offered from around the United States and world, including from Pope Leo XIV, have been "a source of hope" following that morning's mass shooting during Mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 17 other victims injured.
"Brothers and sisters, we have to be men and women of hope," he said. "It's through prayer and that 'prayer of the feet' -- through action -- that we can indeed make a difference."
Archbishop Hebda joined Annunciation Catholic School Principal Matt DeBoer and other city and state leaders in a media briefing outside Annunciation Catholic School and the adjacent Annunciation Catholic Church. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara were present and also spoke at the afternoon press conference.
Speaking as the church bells tolled, Archbishop Hebda noted that "the bell in a Catholic church is always a call to prayer. ... It's a reminder to be praying."
He commended DeBoer, Annunciation's pastor Father Dennis Zehren, and Deacon Kevin Conneely for "how valiant" they and their staff were in responding to the tragedy.
"How sad it is ... not only for the families who are directly involved, but indeed for families everywhere who feel the threat that comes from an event, a tragedy like today's," he said.
Archbishop Hebda read in full that day's message from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, that expressed Pope Leo's prayers and "spiritual closeness" to the victims.
"We know that the Holy Father, Pope Leo, did his hospital training right here in Minneapolis, so he knows our community, and he's been reminding anybody visiting from Minnesota that he spent some time here," he said. "We're very grateful for his blessing, but I ... ask that you would continue to look for those ways of supporting those who have been impacted today, not only with your prayers, but also with your action."
A 23-year-old gunman shot from the outside of the church through windows at the Mass attendees with a rifle, shotgun and pistol, killing two children, ages 8 and 10, before committing suicide. Among the 17 injured were 14 children, all expected to survive. Three adults who were shot were parishioners in their 80s.
Speaking immediately before Archbishop Hebda, DeBoer commended his staff and told his school community, "I love you."
"You're so brave, and I'm so sorry this happened to us today. Within seconds of this situation beginning, our teachers were heroes," he said. "Children were ducked down. Adults were protecting children. Older children were protecting younger children, and ... it could have been significantly worse without their heroic action.
"This is a nightmare," he continued, "but we call our staff the dream team and we will recover from this. We will rebuild from this. ... We as a community have a responsibility to make sure that no child, no parent, no teacher ever has to experience what we've experienced today."
DeBoer said, "We lost two angels today. Please continue to pray for those still receiving care."
— Maria Wiering, OSV News
Pope Leo joins US bishops in mourning victims
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Pope Leo joins US bishops in mourning victims of Catholic school shooting
Pope Leo XIV joined his brother bishops and fellow Americans in the U.S. in expressing condolences following a deadly mass shooting that took place Aug. 27 at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis shortly after the start of the school day during an all-school Mass at the adjacent Annunciation Catholic Church.
In a telegram to Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state said the pontiff was "profoundly saddened to learn of the loss of life and injuries following the shooting that took place at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, and he sends his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child."
"While commending the souls of the deceased children to the love of Almighty God, His Holiness prays for the wounded as well as the first responders, medical personnel and clergy who are caring for them and their loved ones," the telegram said. "At this extremely difficult time, the Holy Father imparts to the Annunciation Catholic School community, the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and the people of the greater Twin Cities metropolitan area, his apostolic blessing as a pledge of peace, fortitude and consolation in the Lord Jesus."
The gunman shot from the outside of the church through windows at the Mass attendees killing two children, ages 8 and 10, according to Minneapolis police. Seventeen others were injured, including 14 children who are expected to survive their injuries. Three adults in their 80s were also injured.
In a statement, Archbishop Hebda said he was grateful for prayers and asked that they continue.
"I am so grateful for the many promises of prayers that have been coming in from the Holy Father, Pope Leo, and from so many from all around the globe, all praying for the families of Annunciation Parish and School and for all who were impacted by this morning's senseless violence," he said.
"I beg for the continued prayers of all of the priests and faithful of this Archdiocese, as well for the prayers of all men and women of good will, that the healing that only God can bring will be poured out on all those who were present at this morning's Mass and particularly for the affected families who are only now beginning to comprehend the trauma they sustained," he continued. "We lift up the souls of those who lost their lives to our loving God through the intercession of Our Lady, Queen of Peace."
"My heart is broken as I think about students, teachers, clergy and parishioners and the horror they witnessed in a Church, a place where we should feel safe," he said.
He noted that the shooting at Annunciation happened only a day after another shooting in South Minneapolis near Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, where one person was killed and six were injured.
The back-to-back shootings "increases the sadness about the pain and anger that is present in our communities," he said. "We need an end to gun violence. Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetrated against the vulnerable and innocent. They are far too commonplace. While we need to commit to working to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies, we also need to remind ourselves that we have a God of peace and of love, and that it is his love that we will need most as we strive to embrace those who are hurting so deeply."
Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, vice-president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, also mourned the tragedy in a statement.
"As a Church, we are following the tragic news from Annunciation School in Minneapolis with heartbreaking sadness," he said. "Whenever one part of the Body of Christ is wounded, we feel the pain as if it were our very own children. Let us all beg the Lord for the protection and healing of the entire Annunciation family."
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York wrote on X, "Once again we are shocked and horrified by the news of another senseless shooting, this time all the more disturbing because it happened at a Catholic church and school, which should always be sanctuaries of peace."
"We mourn the two innocent children whose lives were cut short by this dreadful tragedy and hold in our intentions the seventeen wounded," Cardinal Dolan said. "We join in compassionate solidarity with the countless families of the city of Minneapolis, Annunciation Catholic School, and beyond who have been touched by an unthinkable grief caused by mind numbing gun violence which has become all too common. We pray for an end to all violence in our hearts, in our communities, and in our world."
Bishop Mark Eckman of Pittsburgh said in a statement he was "devastated" by the mass shooting at Annunciation, saying the violence had "shattered what should have been a holy moment of grace."
"We hold close in prayer the students, families, teachers, parish community, and first responders," he said, in part. "We ask the Lord to bring healing to the injured, eternal rest to those who have died, and consolation to all who mourn."
Archbishop W. Shawn McKnight of Kansas City, Kansas, in a statement said his heart was heavy with grief.
"No parent should ever fear for the safety of their children at school, especially as they gather to encounter the Lord in the Holy Sacrament of the Mass. No child should ever have to carry such grief and fear. No teacher or staff member should ever fear for their lives as they go about the noble work of caring for God’s children," he said.
"Sacred Scripture assures us that ‘The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed’ (Psalm 34:19). Christ himself has conquered sin, evil, and fear through the power of his Cross and Resurrection, and in him alone do we find our peace and security. May we respond to this tragedy today with prayer, solidarity, and the hope that only the Lord can give."
Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez wrote in a post on X, "We are praying for our brothers and sisters in Minneapolis. We pray for those who died and those who were injured in this morning's shooting at Annunciation Catholic School."
Bishop David M. O'Connell of Trenton, New Jersey, chair of the USCCB's Committee on Catholic Education called for prayers, saying, "There are no words sufficient to convey the depth of evil behind such a deliberate act of violence against innocent children. Nor can language fully express the sorrow and compassion that fill our hearts at this moment. These young students and their school community were gathered in prayer at Mass, marking the beginning of a new school year -- a time meant for hope, not horror. It is simply unfathomable."
He continued: "To the grieving families: We hold you close in prayer and love. To the students, teachers and staff of Annunciation: You are not alone. To the first responders and medical teams: We thank you for your courage and care. Once again, the Body of Christ has been pierced. And once again, we are called -- as members of that Body -- to bind up the wounds, to comfort the afflicted and to stand firm in faith. Evil will not have the final word. The light of Christ will shine through this darkness."
— OSV News
