After a mass shooting in Arizona that killed 6 people and left over a
dozen wounded, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix wrote a prayer
grieving for the victims and their families and expressing hope that
violence will never again “scar the social fabric” of the state.
The six who were killed in the violent attack Jan. 8 included 63
year-old U.S. District Judge John Roll and 9-year-old Christina Taylor
Green, both of whom were involved in Tucson Catholic parishes.
Bishop Olmsted offered his prayer at the convening of Arizona’s 50th
Legislative Session on Jan. 10. He prayed that God would grant eternal
rest to Judge Roll and the others who died in this weekend’s attack, and
provide healing to Congresswoman Giffords and all those who were
injured.
The incident began on Saturday when 22 year-old Jared Loughner opened
fire at a local supermarket where recently elected Democrat Rep.
Gabrielle Giffords was giving a community address.
Loughner, a socially
isolated, anti-government youth with a history of mental instability,
was reportedly intent on killing the congresswoman with whom he took
personal issue.
Rep. Giffords is alive but in critical condition after being shot in the head at point-blank range.
The full text of Bishop Olmsted's prayer is as follows:
O loving God, Creator and Father of us all, We come before you with
hearts weighed down by the terrible violence that took place in Tucson
on Saturday.
We grieve for Judge John Roll and all those who have died; we stand
in prayerful solidarity with their families and friends.
We pray for
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and all who were injured and for those
who love and care for them.
Father of mercy, we commend them all to your loving hands, asking you
to grant eternal life to the deceased, healing and full recovery to the
wounded, and comfort and peace to their loved ones.
And Blessed Lord, we earnestly pray, may such senseless violence never scar the social fabric of Arizona again.
We pray today, too, God of justice and of peace, for Governor Brewer,
for all our Senators, Representatives, other elected officials and all
who serve in public office.
Protect them and guide them with your wisdom. Give them the light and
grace to build up the common good, and to protect the rights and
dignity of every person
God of goodness and Father of compassion, on this day when keen
sorrow clouds our hearts and so many difficult problems lay before us,
we pray with the words of St. Francis of Assisi:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light, and
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and
it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
SIC: CNA/INT'L