Special mass held in Dallas to remember victims of El Paso, Ohio mass shootings

DALLAS - People in Dallas came together Wednesday evening to honor the victims of the recent El Paso and Ohio mass shootings.

A bilingual mass and holy hour was held to pray for the victims at the Cathedral Guadalupe.

At the mass, Dallas Bishop Edward Burns said, “Suffering, evil, terror and death will not have the last word.”

He and parishioners made sure of that, as the bells tolled once for each person who lost their life.

They prayed for those were killed and wounded, and prayed for an end to the senseless gun violence that is all too prevalent in our country.

The bishop said it’s important that when we suffer and feel pain, we gather together, adding that this is also a time to ask God to heal our souls.

He said that he spoke to the bishop of El Paso over the phone on Sunday, and he told him that he has about 10 of the funerals of those who were killed in El Paso.

The bishop also shared a specific message for Hispanics during these times.

“We are a church who welcomes them. We are a church who has open arms and that, while we recognize that every country has a right to protect its border, every person has a right to a better life and every family has a right to do what’s necessary for their children, to protect their children,” Bishop Burns said. “And then to even have a sense that there may be some racism involved, hatred involved, it’s important for us to stand up for peace and for justice.”

When asked about the tweets from an archbishop in San Antonio this week, telling President Trump to “stop racism, starting with himself,” Bishop Burns had his own thoughts.

“Our legislators and our elected officials should stop their hand wringing and should stop finger pointing,” he said. “I think that the rhetoric that is set within the political sphere is absolutely unnecessary. I think that within the soul searching that this country has to do, there has to be change, and I think we have to look to our elected officials to bring about that change.”

He added that every person’s life should be respected with human dignity.