August 28, 2025 // National

Diocese Mourns Tragic Shooting at Minneapolis Catholic School

Todays Catholic

On Wednesday, August 27, a deadly shooting during an all-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis left the Church and the world reeling. Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed, while 18 others were injured, including 15 other students.

Officials say the suspected shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, who had previously attended the school, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after shooting from the outside of the church through windows at the Mass attendees with a semi-automatic rifle, shotgun, and pistol.

Following the tragic shooting, Pope Leo, along with officials from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, offered their prayers and condolences.

“In the wake of the terrible tragedy in Minneapolis, the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church, we stand in prayerful solidarity with the Annunciation Catholic School and parish community,” Bishop Rhoades said in a statement released by officials with the diocese. “With them, we mourn the deaths of the two young children killed in the vicious attack, and we pray for the full recovery of the children and adults who were injured. We pray for all the parents and families afflicted by this senseless act of violence. I am reminded of the motto of St. Benedict for his monks: ‘Ora et labora,’ which means ‘pray and work.’ It’s not ‘prayer or work.’ So let us offer our continuing prayers for the victims of this horrible attack and also re-commit ourselves to action to eradicate gun violence in our country and to address the root causes of this violence, including the mental health crisis in our country.”

Pope Leo XIV, praying publicly for the victims of the school shooting in Minneapolis, also prayed for an end to the “pandemic” of gun violence.

After reciting the Angelus prayer with visitors in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, August 31, Pope Leo switched from Italian to English when he led the prayers for the community of Annunciation Catholic School.

In remembering “the victims of the tragic shooting during a school Mass in the American state of Minnesota,” the pope said, “we include in our prayers the countless children killed and injured every day around the world.” He continued: “Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world,” he said. “May our mother, Mary, the Queen of Peace, help us to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.’”

Just hours after the shooting took place, David Maugel, superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, sent a message to school communities within the diocese saying that “the safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority.”

Maugel continued: “We are committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for your children, and we have been proactive in strengthening our safety protocols. Our principals recently completed a retreat where we reviewed and updated all safety procedures. We will continue to be vigilant by conducting our monthly safety drills and working closely with local law enforcement to report any suspicious behavior or visitors.”

Maugel said: “In light of the incident at the Minneapolis Catholic school, we are specifically analyzing our procedures for school Masses. While all of our schools already have safety protocols in place, we will be reviewing how students are transferred from the school to the church and ensuring that safety personnel are strategically placed throughout the service.”

He concluded his statement by noting: “As we hold the children and families of the Minneapolis community in our prayers, we also hold each of you in our prayers. Our schools are communities of faith, and in times of uncertainty, it’s our faith that gives us strength and hope. We are committed to a safe and peaceful school year, trusting in God’s grace to guide and protect us.”

The mass shooting at Annunciation appears to be the first of its kind involving a Catholic school in the modern era of school shootings that began with the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Littleton, Colorado.

August 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. Westman began firing on the students just after the responsorial psalm as they were about to sing the Gospel “Alleluia.” Authorities were alerted at 8:27 a.m.

In an interview on NBC’s “Today” show the day after the shooting, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the church doors were locked for the school Mass, a move that “likely saved countless lives.”

In a statement, Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, 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 goodwill, 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.

On Saturday, August 30, Father Dennis Zehren, pastor of Annunciation Catholic Church, celebrated the parish’s first Mass since the shooting took place. As the now-desecrated church remained closed, the Mass was held in the auditorium of the parish school. 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. 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. “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.’”

OSV News and Catholic News Service contributed to this report.