With hearts full of grief, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet stand with the families of Annunciation School and Parish, and with all who were impacted by today’s senseless violence. We grieve the loss of lives and the shattering of peace in a sacred place. Our hearts go out to the children, teachers, clergy, parishioners, neighbors, and first responders who endured this unimaginable tragedy.
At the heart of our charism is the belief that we are all one, that God’s love unites us beyond fear and division. We pray that the healing presence of our God of peace be poured out abundantly on every person touched by this tragedy. We entrust the souls of those who have died to God’s tender mercy, and we hold their families in love and prayer.
We echo the call of Archbishop Hebda and our wider Church community: gun violence must end. We join with people of all faiths in demanding change and working for peace so our communities can flourish free from violence.
– Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet & Consociates,
St. Paul Province
via social media
August 27, 2025
St. Paul Province
via social media
August 27, 2025
The Minneapolis shooter, Robin Westman, is being reported as trans, and that detail is already being highlighted in coverage in ways that distract from the bigger picture. The truth is that identity here does not explain the violence. Less than one tenth of one percent of mass shootings involve a trans person, which makes it statistically insignificant. The overwhelming majority of shooters are right wing cis men, yet that pattern rarely drives headlines.
What we are seeing is the right wing predictably jumping on these reports to stir up their base. Rather than dealing with the real drivers of mass violence like guns being everywhere and extremist rhetoric spreading online, they zero in on a marginalized group. It is not about understanding the facts, it is about creating a convenient villain.
The bias is obvious. When shooters are cis white men, the story shifts to individual failings or vague nods to mental health. When a shooter is reported as trans, political operatives suddenly push the idea that it reflects an entire community. That is scapegoating, and it distracts from any real effort to prevent future shootings.
Related Off-site Links:
Police ID Shooter who killed 2 Children and Wounded 17 Others at Minneapolis Catholic School and Church – Minnesota Public Radio News (August 27, 2025). Minneapolis Mass Shooting Exposes Trump-GOP Lies on Crime and Gun Violence, Critics Say – Stephen Prager (Common Dreams, August 27, 2025).
Two Children Killed in Minneapolis School Shooting as Trump Rolls Back Gun Safety Regulations – Democracy Now! (August 28, 2025).
See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• Beginning the Process
• Reflections on Associate/Consociate Programs by Joan Chittister
• Making My Consociate Commitment
• The Vatican and U.S. Women Religious
• Celebrating the “Sisters of Peace”
• Jamelle Bouie: Quote of the Day – October 2, 2017
• “I Pray, I Pray”
• Prayer of the Week – June 19, 2016
• Something to THink About – December 14, 2012
• Paula Simons: Quote of the Day – December 15, 2012
• Rejoice?
• The Social Roots of Yet Another American Tragedy
• Discerning and Embodying Sacred Presence in Times of Violence and Strife
• Questioning God’s Benevolence in the Face of Tragedy
• What the Bible Really Says About Gender Justice
• Accounting for the Backlash
• Angela Kade Goepferd on the “Manufactured Controversy” Targeting Gender-Affirming Care
• The Bigger Box of Crayons We All Deserve
• Transgender in America Today
• Trans 101
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