pope Leo XIV Condemns School shooting, Calls for End to “Pandemic of Weapons”
Following a tragic school shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minnesota on August 27, Pope Leo XIV has called for prayers for the deceased children and an end to the use of weapons.
Pope Leo XIV has addressed the devastating school shooting in Minnesota, expressing his condolences and urging the world to confront the growing issue of gun violence. The Pope’s remarks, delivered in English at the end of the Mariana prayer, highlight the urgent need to stop what he describes as a “pandemic of weapons.” This statement comes in response to the tragic event where a young man opened fire during a school mass, killing two children and injuring fifteen others Vatican News. The Pope’s message emphasizes prayer for the victims and a global effort to disarm, echoing the words of the prophet Isaiah United Nations office for Disarmament Affairs.
In his address, Pope Leo XIV said, “Our prayers for the victims of the tragic shooting during a school mass in the American state of Minnesota include the innumerable children killed and wounded every day worldwide.”
He further evoked the concept of a “pandemic of weapons,” urging, “We beg to God to stop the pandemic of weapons, large and small, that infects our world. That our Mother Maria, Queen of Peace, helps us to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy: ‘They will break their swords and turn them into plows, and their spears in hoces.'”
On the day of the shooting, the Pope sent a telegram to Archbishop Bernard hebda of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, expressing his “deep sadness” and offering “his most sincere condolences together with the security of his spiritual closeness,” notably to the families who lost children. He entrusted “the souls of the deceased children to the love of Almighty God.”
Frequently asked Questions
- What was Pope Leo XIV’s response to the school shooting in Minnesota?
- Pope Leo XIV condemned the shooting, called for prayers for the victims, and urged an end to the “pandemic of weapons.”
- To whom did Pope Leo XIV send his condolences?
- He sent his condolences to Archbishop Bernard Hebda of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, and also to the families of the victims.
- What did Pope Leo XIV describe as a “pandemic?”
- He described the proliferation of weapons as a “pandemic” infecting the world.
sources
