A Message from Fr. Cooper on the Tragic Nashville School Shooting

A Message from Fr. Cooper on the Nashville School Shooting 

On Monday, we were made painfully aware of another horrific act of violence and the tragic loss of innocent human life that followed. The school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee repeated an all too familiar scene that pours salt in a wound that never seems to heal. As we pray for all the victims, especially the 3 children and 3 adults who were killed, we must constantly pray for their families that will never be the same and for healing in our country that desperately needs the peace that comes from God. We must also ask ourselves the questions, “How can this happen again (and again and again)?

We raise our voices, as we must, on behalf of the intrinsic dignity and value of all human life, recommitting ourselves to the work of peace by calling all citizens, elected and religious leaders, and all people of good will to look at the root causes of these violent acts. We must work together to prevent the repetition of this senseless violence that is being woven into our national life with horrifying frequency.

As we seek the healing of heaven, we pray to do God’s work on earth and we take encouragement in the words of our Lord: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).