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Catholic Vigil Held For Victims Of Kalamazoo Shooting

Bishop Paul J. Bradley addressing the congregation at St. Augustine Cathedral, two days after the mass shooting in Kalamazoo.
Gordon Evans, WMUK

St. Augustine Cathedral held a noontime mass Monday to pray for the victims of Saturday’s shooting in Kalamazoo. 

Kalamazoo residents and friends of the victims singing a hymn during the noontime mass on Monday.
Credit Gordon Evans, WMUK
Kalamazoo residents and friends of the victims singing a hymn during the noontime mass on Monday.

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo, Reverend Paul Bradley, told those gathered that there are no good answers for a tragedy like the weekend shooting. But he asked everyone to come together and trust in God.

Bradley offered prayers to the families of the six people killed and to the families of the perpetrator.  

"And yes we pray for him as well."

Bradley offered a prayer that God would touch the heart of the man responsible for this weekend's deadly shooting.  

Margaret Huesa-Lords was there to honor her friend Mary Jo Nye who was killed at the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Texas Township. Huesa-Lords says she’s still in shock. 

“Shock and disbelief, because she was such a loving person,” she says.

Sister Marilyn Nichols is with the Sisters of St. Joseph in Nazareth. She says Kalamazoo needs to gather together for prayer, but also to discuss the state of our nation.

“There has to be more done for a sense of community and for mental health facilities. Less wars and more things to help the ordinary people,” she says.

Gordon Evans became WMUK's Content Director in 2019 after more than 20 years as an anchor, host and reporter. A 1990 graduate of Michigan State, he began work at WMUK in 1996.
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