Vigil with rosary prayers scheduled for Annunciation shooting victims; community expresses admiration for ' heroic virtues' displayed in the wake of tragedy
In the wake of the tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic School's all-school Mass, the community has shown resilience and unity.
On August 27, a former student perpetrated a shooting that claimed the life of 10-year-old Harper Moyski, a fifth grader, and left 12-year-old Sophia Forchas hospitalized with head injuries. Funeral information for Moyski is yet to be announced.
JD Vance, Vice President of the United States, visited Lydia Kaiser, who is recovering from surgery after being shot, at Children's Minnesota Hospital. He also paid respects to the victims and met with school leaders and families on the Annunciation campus.
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has urged local Catholic school and parish officials to review their safety and security plans, get to know local law enforcement officers, and seek their help with those plans, extra patrols, and training. Paul Iovino, director of the archdiocese's Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment and a former police officer, has asked parishes and schools to maintain a heightened level of security, with exterior doors locked and visitor access suspended or with strict practices in place when allowing visitors to enter.
The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics.
Father Dennis Zehren, the pastor of Annunciation Catholic Church, expressed gratitude for the outpouring of love received during these difficult times. He compared the community's support to a rock under the church, keeping them lifted in prayer.
JD Vance also asked people to pray for Sophia Forchas and her parents, doctors, and nurses. In his written message, Jason Slattery, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis' superintendent of schools and director of Catholic education, encouraged people to consider the "accounts of heroic charity" that shine amid the darkness of the shooting, including older students who protected younger ones, and adults who raced to shelter the children and elderly.
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has implemented increased security measures following the shooting incident. The Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota has established the Annunciation Hope and Healing Fund to provide financial support to the Church of the Annunciation for the needs of the church and school and to provide support to those affected by the tragedy.
Harry and Leah Kaiser, Lydia Kaiser's parents, called for action from Vance and other U.S. leaders, inviting them to promote peace and unity. They also asked for a commitment to looking for answers on gun violence. Harry Kaiser, Annunciation School's gym teacher, asked Vice President Vance to earnestly support the study of gun violence and pursue commonsense bipartisan legislation.
Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis will lead a livestream of the rosary via the archdiocese's Facebook page at 10 a.m. CT Sept. 5. The Archdiocese of New York announced that its schools would pray the rosary at that time to join spiritually with the Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
The funeral for Fletcher Merkel, who died in the shooting, is 4 p.m. Sept. 7 at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.
The community continues to rally together, offering prayers, support, and calls for action in response to this tragic event.
