Pope Leo XIV denounces “pandemic of arms” after Minnesota school shooting that killed 2

Pope Leo XVI prayed publicly on Sunday for the victims of Shot in a Catholic school in Minnesota And called at the end of the “Pandemic of arms, large and small”.

The Pope born in the United States spoke in English as he denounced the attack and the “logic of arms” fueling the wars of the world, during his blessing on Sunday noon of his studio overlooking Saint-Pierre square in Rome.

“Our prayers for the victims of the tragic shooting during a school mass in the American state of Minnesota,” said Leo. “We hold in our prayers the countless children killed and injured every day around the world. Let us plead to God to stop the pandemic of weapons, large and small, which infects our world.”

Two children – Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moysk, 10 years old – were killed on Wednesday, and 20 people were injured during a shooting at the Annunciation church in Minneapolis, while hundreds of students from the Catholic School of Annunciation Voisine and others met for mass marking at the start of the school year.

The shooter, who died later by suicide, fired 116 gunshots through the church stained glass window.

The day after the shooting, Leo had abstained from any political commentary on firearms in America, Sending a condolence telegram This focused exclusively on the spiritual. He expressed his sadness with regard to the “terrible tragedy” and extended his “sincere condolences and the assurance of spiritual proximity with all those affected”.

Leo had opened his call on Sunday by demanding an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine And a “serious commitment to dialogue” on the sides at war.

“It is time for the officials to give up the logic of weapons and take the path of negotiations and peace, with the support of the international community,” he said. “The voice of weapons must be reduced to silence, while the voice of fraternity and justice must increase.”