WASHINGTON, January 25, 2026 – Echoing the message Pope Leo XIV delivered at the Sunday Angelus today, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reminded the faithful: “Peace is built on respect for people.”
“Today, Pope Leo XIV reminds us that ‘the Gospel must be proclaimed and lived in every setting, serving as a leaven of fraternity and peace among all individuals, cultures, religions and peoples.’
“It is with this in mind that I prayerfully urge calm, restraint, and respect for human life in Minneapolis, and all those places where peace is threatened. Public authorities especially have a responsibility to safeguard the well-being of people in service to the common good.
“As a nation we must come together in dialogue, turning away from dehumanizing rhetoric and acts which threaten human life. In this spirit, in unity with Pope Leo, it is important to proclaim, ‘Peace is built on respect for people!’”
Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda (Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis), also issued this statement on January 25, 2026: “Following Saturday’s tragic shooting in Minneapolis, I ask all people of good will to join me today in prayer for Alex Jeffrey Pretti, for his parents, and for his loved ones.
The loss of another life amidst the tensions that have gripped Minnesota should prompt all of us to ask what we can do to restore the Lord’s peace. While we rightly thirst for God’s justice and hunger for his peace, this will be not be achieved until we are able to rid our hearts of the hatreds and prejudices that prevent us from seeing each other as brothers and sisters created in the image and likeness of God. That is as true for our undocumented neighbors as it is for our elected officials and for the men and women who have the unenviable responsibility of enforcing our laws. They all need our humble prayers.
Today, the Cathedral of Saint Paul will be open all afternoon with extended Eucharistic Adoration for those seeking a quiet place for prayer and reflection. Following the Divine Mercy Chaplet (4:00 p.m.) and Benediction (4:30 p.m.), I will be offering a Votive Mass for the Preservation of Peace at 5:00 p.m. Moreover, at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis, the Sunday 5:30 p.m. Mass will be offered for Alex Pretti, his family, and for the Twin Cities community. Wherever you find yourself this afternoon, I hope you will take a few moments to join us in prayer. “
