Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Elementary school massacre ‘not part of God’s plan,’ Newtown priest says

Elementary school massacre ‘not part of God’s plan,’ Newtown priest says

Last updated on: December 16, 2012 at 7:37 pm by CNA Daily News

Elementary school massacre ‘not part of God’s plan,’ Newtown priest says 2012-12-16T19:37:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Newtown, Conn., Dec 16, 2012 / 12:37 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The motive behind the gunman whose Dec. 14 shooting rampage took the lives of 28 people, including 20 children, is not something that can be answered, Newtown’s local Catholic priest said.

“This was not part of God’s plan,” Msgr. Bob Weiss of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church told ABC News Dec. 15.

Msgr. Weiss, who accompanied police while they informed parents of their child’s death following the Sandy Hook school massacre, said gunman Adam Lanza’s actions show he was “a man who had serious issues in his life.”

“Why he’d want to destroy innocent children, no one can figure out.”

Archbishop Henry J. Mansell of Hartford called the shooting a “a senseless act of violence that claimed the lives of many innocent people,” in a recent statement.

"Although we will never understand the motivation behind such a heinous act, we must turn to prayer and reflection for the victims and their families during this time of need," he said.

"Keep them in your hearts, let them know that they are not alone in their grief and suffering, and pray that the comfort of God's love will help them through this difficult time."

The Archdiocese of Hartford, along with Catholic Charities, has offered to support for Newtown and its parish in “any way that we can.”

Msgr. Weiss said although many victim’s family members “knew in their hearts” that their child or spouse had been killed in the attack, he said in an interview with NBC that their grief was still “overwhelming” when he travelled with police to confirm that information early on the morning of Dec. 15.

When he broke the news, parents asked him what the last moments of the victims’ lives must have been like.

“Of course, no one can answer that question,” he said.

Parents of the victims recalled fond memories of their children as he consoled them late into Friday evening.

“One mother told me her daughter was going to be an angel in our Christmas pageant next Tuesday,” the priest said, “and another one told me how excited (her daughter) was getting because she was making her First Holy Communion this year.”

“It was really an amazing time for parents to bring back memories,” he said.

He said the prayer vigil that packed St. Rose of Lima Parish to capacity on the evening of Dec 14. really showed what “kind of town Newtown is.”

“People came together to care and to support,” he said. “Hopefully we can just keep the community together and they can console each other.”

He shared that “many of the families” he spoke with following the shooting found consolation in the knowledge that even though their child was killed, “at least they know their child is safe, they know where they are.”

“And that’s a terrible thought for any parent raising a child today to think that they might have to grow up in a world like this.”

“I pray that the Lord just lift up these families and that they know especially their children are safe,” he said.

Even in the face of such violence, Msgr. Weiss said, “if we work together, good things can happen.”

The victims of the Dec. 14 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre have now been identified as Charlotte Bacon, 6; Daniel Barden, 7; Olivia Engel, 6; Josephine Gay, 7; Ana M. Marquez-Greene, 6; Dylan Hockley, 6; Madeleine F. Hsu, 6; Catherine V. Hubbard, 6; Chase Kowalski, 7; Jesse Lewis, 6; James Mattioli, 6; Grace McDonnell, 7; Emilie Parker, 6; Jack Pinto, 6; Noah Pozner, 6; Caroline Previdi, 6; Jessica Rekos, 6; Aviele Richman, 6; Benjamin Wheeler, 6; Allison N. Wyatt, 6; Dawn Hochsprung, 47; Rachel Davino, 29; Ann Marie Murphy, 52; Lauren Rousseau, 30; Mary Sherlach, 56; and Victoria Soto, 27.

Previous Post

December 16, 2012

Pope 'deeply saddened' by Connecticut shooting

Next Post

December 17, 2012 Communications think tank promotes family in media

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What physical affliction did Job suffer?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Painful boils Blindness Leprosy Broken bones