Minnesota Bishop Robert Barron sharply criticized Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for dismissing calls for prayer following Wednesday’s deadly Catholic school shooting, calling the mayor’s remarks “completely asinine.”
“Catholics don’t think that prayer magically protects them from all suffering. After all, Jesus prayed fervently from the cross on which he was dying,” Barron told Fox News Digital.
The shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis killed two children and injured 18 other people during a morning Mass, according to police. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the bureau is investigating the attack as both a possible act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics.
Investigators said the gunman left anti-religious writings in his manifesto and scrawled similar messages on his firearms.
At a press conference after the tragedy, Frey criticized those calling for prayer.
“Don’t say this is about ‘thoughts and prayers’ right now — these kids were literally praying,” he said. “It was the first week of school – they were in a church.”
His remarks echoed those of some Democratic officials and liberal media figures who disparaged faith-based responses to the tragedy.
Barron, an influential Catholic leader who leads the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, argued that critics misunderstand the role of prayer.
