The city of Minneapolis has been thrust into the national spotlight following a devastating mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church on August 27, 2025. The attack, which took place during morning Mass—the first week of school—left two children dead and 18 others injured. As the community reels from the tragedy, a fierce debate has erupted over the role of prayer, political rhetoric, and the growing threat of hate-fueled violence in American society.
According to Fox News, Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester did not mince words when responding to comments made by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Frey, a Democrat, had criticized those who responded to the tragedy with calls for prayer, stating at a press conference, “Don’t just say this is about ‘thoughts and prayers’ right now. These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church.” The mayor’s remarks echoed sentiments expressed by other Minnesota Democrats, such as Rep. Brad Tabke, who dismissed prayer as an inadequate response to gun violence.
For Barron, Frey’s comments missed the mark entirely. He described them as “completely asinine,” telling Fox News Digital, “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 went on to argue that critics misunderstand the role of prayer during times of suffering. “Prayer is the raising of the mind and heart to God, which strikes me as altogether appropriate precisely at times of great pain. And prayer by no means stands in contrast to decisive moral action. Martin Luther King was a man of deep prayer, who also effected a social revolution in our country. This is not an either/or proposition.”
The shooting itself has been classified as an act of domestic terrorism. FBI Director Kash Patel stated that investigators have collected evidence demonstrating the attack was “motivated by a hate-filled ideology.” Patel revealed that the shooter left anti-Catholic and anti-religious references both in a manifesto and written on firearms. The shooter also expressed hatred toward Jewish people, scrawling phrases such as “Israel must fall” and “Free Palestine,” and used explicit language referencing the Holocaust. In a chilling detail, Patel confirmed that the shooter made “an explicit call for violence against President Trump on a firearm magazine.”
This attack did not occur in a vacuum. Just two weeks prior, the Family Research Council released a report documenting a rise in hostility toward churches across the country. Bishop Barron pointed to a 700% increase in violent acts against Christians and Christian churches in the United States over the past seven years, adding, “Worldwide, Christianity is by far the most persecuted religion. That people are even wondering whether the tragedy in Minneapolis is an instance of anti-Catholic violence is puzzling to me.” He continued, “If someone attacked a synagogue while congregants were praying, would anyone doubt that it was an antisemitic act? If someone shot up a mosque while the devout were praying, would anyone doubt that it was an anti-Islamic attack? So, why would we even hesitate to say that a maniac shooting into a Catholic Church while children are at prayer was committing an anti-Catholic act?”
The bishop did not shy away from spiritual language when describing the victims, calling the slain children “martyrs.” He reflected, “We know that God is all-good and all-powerful, and yet we also know that there are wicked people in the world who do terrible things. We cannot always understand why God permits evil, but we know for sure that he accompanies us in our suffering.”
Evangelist Franklin Graham also entered the fray, issuing a pointed rebuke to Mayor Frey and other Democrats who criticized calls for prayer. In a social media post dated August 29, 2025, Graham wrote, “To the Democratic Mayor of Minneapolis and the other socialist left who have criticized calling for prayer in the aftermath of the tragic school shooting—your words do not change or diminish the power and importance of prayer.” He added, “Because someone calls for prayer doesn’t mean that bad things aren’t going to happen or that the emergency is going to disappear, we all know that. But prayer is our opportunity to communicate directly with the God of Heaven and take our petitions to Him. God does see, God does hear, and God can intervene.” Graham cited Hebrews 4:16, emphasizing the biblical tradition of seeking mercy and grace in times of need, and noted, “Jesus Himself prayed fervently when He was facing death on the cross.”
Graham went further, attributing the violence to spiritual forces: “The god of this age is Satan—he is the one who wants to steal, kill, and destroy. He is the author of all lies and the turmoil and violence that ensues—like this senseless shooting.” He concluded his message with a direct appeal to Mayor Frey, writing, “Mayor Frey, I hope that you will come to know the price that was paid for your sins and that you will understand the value of prayer in your own life.”
The public response to Frey’s comments was swift and polarized. Media analyst Scott Jennings posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Tragedy struck a Minneapolis Catholic school today & the very first thing Mayor @Jacob_Frey did was attack people of faith for calling for prayer. I couldn’t believe it when I heard it. Whatever your political ideology, there are few moments where prayer is more appropriate.” Radio host Dana Loesch added, “Nothing says idiot politicians like this guy who comes out and promptly attacks and mocks prayer after a tragedy.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom also weighed in, reportedly mocking prayer in the aftermath of the tragedy by stating, “These children were literally praying as they got shot at,” according to Breitbart News. Such remarks fueled further outrage among faith leaders and conservative commentators, who saw them as emblematic of a broader cultural divide over the value of religious expression in public life.
In response to mounting criticism, a spokesperson for Mayor Frey’s office clarified the mayor’s position, telling Fox News, “The mayor has always said that thoughts and prayers alone are not enough. They must be paired with action and solutions. One doesn’t negate the other—but year after year, students are murdered by gun violence. Enough is enough. We must do more.”
Calls for action are not new in Minnesota. Two years before the Annunciation Church tragedy, Catholic and independent school leaders statewide wrote to Governor Tim Walz, urging him to provide security funding for nonpublic schools—a request they described as “urgent and critical.” Despite the state enjoying an $18 billion budget surplus at the time, the funding was never allocated.
As the community mourns and debates rage on, the facts of the case remain stark. The shooter, reportedly motivated by deep-seated hatred for Christianity and other groups, left a trail of violence and manifestos steeped in bigotry. According to Breitbart News, the shooter had also changed their name and gender identity at age 17, identifying as female, though authorities have focused primarily on the ideological motivations behind the attack.
In the end, the tragedy at Annunciation Catholic Church has become a flashpoint for national conversations about faith, violence, and the responsibilities of leaders in moments of crisis. Whether one turns to prayer, policy, or both, the wounds left by this act of hatred are deep—and the search for meaning and solutions continues.
