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USCCB Head Calls for Holy Hour in this “Climate of Fear.”

USCCB Head Calls for Holy Hour in this “Climate of Fear.”

Last updated on: January 29, 2026 at 11:03 am by Rebecca Hamilton

USCCB Head Calls for Holy Hour in this “Climate of Fear.” 2026-01-29T11:03:42-07:00 Rebecca Hamilton

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The current climate of fear and polarization, which thrives when human dignity is disregarded, does not meet the standard set by Christ in the Gospel. Archbishop Paul Coakley

Archbishop Paul Coakley the President of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, is asking his brother bishops and all the priests across the United States to offer a Holy Hour for Peace.

His invitation emphasizes that “proper laws,” which I interpret to mean laws that do not seek to coerce us to violate the teachings of Christ, must be respected. But he also makes clear that peaceful assembly, which I interpret to mean protests against the injustice we are witnessing, and caring for the beleaguered people in our communities are works of mercy, signs of hope and ways to build a true peace.

Archbishop Coakley, as well as other bishops whose statements I have read, emphasizes that the murders of innocent people by “immigration enforcement officers” are violations of the sanctity of human life. I think what he’s saying is that this is a pro life issue.

Archbishop Coakley is asking our bishops and priests to call us to prayer. I can’t think of a better thing for him to do.

I’ve been praying alone for a long time. I prayed before Trump was elected in dread and fear of what I thought he would do to us and to the world if he won. I would have given anything to be wrong, but it’s more clear every day that I was not.

Since Trump took office, I’m been praying every day that God would raise up shepherds to lead us spiritually through what is coming.

We have got to stop what’s coming, and by that I don’t mean just this one evil man. We have to stop and dismantle the well-financed, organized and very intelligent cabal of greed-driven evil that surrounds him. If we do not, I believe that things are going to get far worse than anything we ever thought could be possible.

We need shepherds to inspire us, give us strength and keep us from being overcome by the evil we must oppose. Our Resistance must be based on the true and living Jesus Christ of the Gospels, on the integrity and basic morality of the Ten Commandments, and on the eternal and everlasting hope of the Empty Tomb.

We need priests. Real ones.

And, thanks be to God, it looks like we are going to have them.

From the USCCB:

“The current climate of fear and polarization, which thrives when human dignity is disregarded, does not meet the standard set by Christ in the Gospel.

“I am deeply grateful for the countless ways Catholics and all people of good will continue to serve one another and work for peace and justice.

“While proper laws must be respected, works of mercy, peacefully assembling, and caring for those in your community are signs of hope, and they build peace more surely than anger or despair ever could. Christ reminds us that even ‘a single cup of cold water’ given in his name will not go unrewarded (cf. Mt 10:42).

“… The recent killing of two people by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis and that of a detained man in Texas, are just a few of the tragic examples of the violence that represent failures in our society to respect the dignity of every human life.

“We mourn this loss of life and deplore the indifference and injustice it represents. As a step toward healing, I invite my brother bishops and priests across the United States to offer a Holy Hour for Peace in the days ahead.

“Let us pray for reconciliation where there is division, for justice where there are violations of fundamental rights, and for consolation for all who feel overwhelmed by fear or loss. I encourage Catholics everywhere to participate, whether in parishes, chapels, or before the Lord present in the quiet of their hearts for healing in our nation and communities.

“May this Holy Hour be a moment of renewal for our hearts and for our nation. Entrusting our fears and hopes to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let us ask the Lord to make us instruments of his peace and witnesses to the inherent dignity of every person.

“Let us pray together, confident that God hears the cry of his people and remains close to all who seek him.”

Archbishop Coakley

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