Don't Stop Praying
In a culture that mocks God, faith is our greatest weapon.
Last week, a horrific tragedy happened at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
A disturbed man murdered two Catholic children and injured many others while they were celebrating the Holy Eucharist at an all-school Mass.
The alleged killer, whose name I refuse to amplify, was a mentally unstable individual who posted demonic videos mocking Christianity. He put an image of Jesus Christ on a target board and wrote anti-religious phrases on his firearms, such as "Where is your God now?".
As the news of this horrific tragedy broke on X, formerly Twitter, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I felt heartbroken for the children, their families, and the Annunciation community. I felt anger at such a senseless act of violence. I felt gratitude to the first responders who reacted quickly and bravely. And I felt concerned that this might inspire copycat incidents.
There's nothing I can say that will make this situation better for those directly impacted. But as a fellow Catholic, I feel compelled to respond the way I know best: through prayer.
The Meaning of Prayer
Whenever something like this happens, the corporate press and politicians always mock the power of prayer. They call it meaningless. They claim it doesn't work. Sadly, after this attack, they didn't just repeat this talking point, they doubled and tripled down.
Former Press Secretary and MSNBC host, Jen Psaki, tweeted that prayer does not work. She repeated this message again on her TV show that evening.
At a press conference shortly after the incident, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey mocked those offering prayers by saying that the victims were "literally praying in a church."
California Governor Gavin Newsom echoed this same rhetoric on X.
And in an interview with Senator Amy Klobuchar, CNN's Dana Bash said, "Forget about thoughts and prayers. These kids were literally praying when they were murdered through a church window.”
Here's the thing about prayer. Catholics don't believe that it's some magical shield that God puts on us on demand. Humans have free will, and sometimes they choose to commit unspeakably evil actions. That doesn’t mean that prayer is useless, it means we live in a fallen world.
So why do we pray? Because prayer is how we communicate with God. It's how we thank Him, praise Him, and build and deepen our relationship with Him. And during horrific tragedies such as this one, prayer is not a “spell” that will immediately fix our problems but a way for us to seek comfort, the way a child tells a parent about a bad day. The parent can't undo the child's bad day, but they can provide love and support.
And that is what God does. In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus says:
"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
God may not always give us exactly what we ask for when we ask for it, but He always gives us what we need. That is why we pray.
A Pattern of Hostility
A society is defined by what its leaders say and do in moments of crisis. And our "leaders" have failed us.
Instead of showing sincere empathy for the victims, they mock prayer, proving that they only care about power. And they are so hell-bent on gaining it back, that they appear to be mimicking the message of the killer who asked: "Where is your God now?" Maybe that will be their new tagline for the 2026 Midterms. I wonder how that will work out for them.
Sadly, this isn’t new. Over the last few years, people of faith have been the targets of political prosecution and violence.
In June 2022, the Department of Homeland Security privately warned the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops of "credible threats" against Catholic Churches and clergy after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
That same year, the National Terrorism Advisory System issued a bulletin warning that it expects "the threat environment to become more dynamic."
In 2023, a whistleblower revealed that the DOJ and FBI under the Biden administration circulated an internal document that illegally targeted Catholics who attend Traditional Latin Mass, labeling them as "violent extremists".
Since May 2020, CatholicVote has documented more than 500 attacks on Catholic Churches in the U.S., including 41 already in 2025.
Democrats and their allies in the corporate press love to mock prayer as "inaction". But when Catholic school leaders in Minnesota begged for help with school safety after the 2023 tragedy at the Covenant School, a private Christian school in Nashville, TN, Governor Tim Walz did nothing. Why? Because in his world, the only "action" that matters is the kind that gives him more power.
Failed Leaders Without Shame
Earlier this year, I wrote about how the Internet is fracturing American culture. We no longer share the same values anymore. Political violence is more prevalent now than ever before in my lifetime. In the past year, we’ve seen the firebombing of Tesla dealerships, attempted assassinations, actual assassinations, and swatting of conservative influencers.
You would think our "leaders" might pause. Reflect. Dial back the rhetoric. But that is not the case. They continue to escalate.
Back in June, Tim Walz urged Democrats to “be a little meaner”. Shortly, after two Minnesota state politicians were assassinated.
And just over Labor Day weekend, the corporate press, left-leaning media figures convinced themselves that President Trump was dead or was about to resign. Tim Walz publicly stated at a Labor Day event that he checks his phone every morning, hoping to receive that "news".
Shame on you, Governor Tim Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Governor Gavin Newsom. And shame on you, Jen Psaki and Dana Bash, for using this tragedy ratings and for fueling the fire. Instead of comforting the grieving, you mock our faith. Instead of uniting, you divide. You have all failed your constituents.
And the saddest part is that nothing I say will make you stop spewing your hateful rhetoric towards those who believe in the power of prayer. You have no shame.
But know this: I, along with millions of Christians around the world, will never ever stop praying. And the more you mock us, the louder we will pray.
We pray unceasingly for peace, in our cities, in our country, and throughout the world.
We pray for those persecuted for their faith.
We pray for the victims of political violence and their families.
And yes, we will even pray for our enemies, because Jesus told us to pray for them too.
Let Us Pray
I invite you to pray with me for the victims of this tragedy.
In Jesus' name, let us pray:
Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.
World without end.
Amen.
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
Jesus, I trust in you.
About Dad Think
Hi, I’m Joe, a husband, dad, writer, and podcaster.
I think a lot about how technology is changing the way we live, think, and raise our kids. Dad Think is where I explore those changes and try to make sense of them, one story, one idea, one question at a time.
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