Prayers for Annunciation: When Violence Touches the Sacred

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." 
— Psalm 34:18

Today, my heart is heavy as I process the devastating news of the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, during what should have been a safe, sacred moment: an All-School Mass.

As a former teacher with over fifteen years of experience, primarily in Catholic schools, I understand the significance of those Masses. They are not just a time of worship; they are moments of community, of formation, of children learning that their faith is a refuge. To imagine such a holy space pierced by violence is almost too much to bear.

I have lived through two real-life lockdowns during my teaching years. Neither time was due to violence inside the school, but because danger was just outside our doors. I remember the pounding in my chest, the way the silence in the classroom felt suffocating, and the weight of trying to keep my students calm when I myself was trembling inside. Those memories came flooding back as I watched the news this morning. 

Right now, my prayers are with the students, who should never have to carry the memory of seeing or hearing violence in their place of learning and worship. I pray for the teachers and faculty, who will have to guide young hearts through fear and trauma while holding their own. I pray for the families who entrusted their children to the safety of a school and parish that suddenly feels broken. And I pray for the parishioners, whose church walls now hold echoes of grief when they were meant to have only praise.

We must surround them all with love, prayer, and tangible support. May God’s peace comfort every heart, may His healing cover every wound, and may His light break through even the darkest shadows.

Please join me in lifting up Annunciation Catholic School and Parish. Let us be united in prayer for safety, healing, and hope.