Amid protests, ICE operations, archbishop prays for community, for family of slain protester

ST. PAUL, Minn. (OSV News) — Acknowledging what he described as “a heaviness in our community these days,” Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis assured Catholics and the Twin Cities community of his continued prayers on Jan. 12.

“Ever since the deadly shooting of Renee Good on Portland Avenue last Wednesday, I find myself googling ‘Minneapolis’ every few hours to learn of the latest developments in a situation that truly tears at the heart,” wrote Archbishop Hebda in his Weekly Word newsletter.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said officers found a woman — later identified as 37-year-old Good — in her vehicle Jan. 7. She had suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. The shooting involved a federal agent, O’Hara said. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security indicated on social media that “ICE officers in Minneapolis were conducting targeted operations” that day.

As Archbishop Hebda and Auxiliary Bishops Michael J. Izen and Kevin T. Kenney joined other regional bishops during a recent retreat, “we had plenty of opportunity to pray,” the archbishop wrote.

“I was praying for: consolation for the grieving members of the Good family; wisdom for our political leaders here and in Washington; prudence and safety for those charged with enforcing our laws; temperance on the part of those protesting; healing for those wounded by the divisions that cleave our state and our nation (especially our young); courage for our neighbors who have been living in fear; and a sense of hope for families directly impacted by the detention of loved ones,” he wrote.

“You won’t be surprised,” he added, “that I was also praying for our parish priests, deacons, pastoral ministers and educators who are dealing firsthand with all of these tensions, striving to bring the light of the Gospel and the balm of Jesus’ love into these difficult situations.”

Archbishop Hebda also referenced the psalm response during Mass Jan. 11 on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord as coming from Psalm 29: “The Lord will bless his people with peace.”

“I am confident that the Lord keeps his promises, but I am hoping that he won’t keep us waiting too long. Maybe I should be praying for patience,” the archbishop wrote.

The archbishop’s words followed a weekend of protests in the Twin Cities for which thousands gathered, according to city officials. Local leaders continued to call for peaceful demonstrations.

“I’m inspired by the countless community members who have showed up to provide food, advocate for justice and keep the peace,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a statement published by the city of Minneapolis Jan. 10.

Also in response, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Jan. 12 that his office, alongside Minneapolis and St. Paul officials, has filed a federal lawsuit “against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and related agencies and officials, asking the court to end the unprecedented surge of DHS agents into the state and declare it unconstitutional and unlawful.” Ellison announced his office is also seeking “a temporary restraining order, citing the immediate harm the state and cities are facing.”

Meanwhile, Archbishop Hebda encouraged the faithful to “think about contacting any of our parishes serving immigrant communities to see how you might support them in their ministry.”

“Since the beginning of December, our immigrant parishes have seen drastic reductions in the number of parishioners attending Mass,” the archbishop wrote. “A number of parishioners expressed to me their concerns about how the parishes will be able to continue their excellent ministry and outreach to the needy if Mass attendance (and offertory) remains low. I’m confident that it would be a shot in the arm for them if you could join them some weekend.”

Additionally, after the Trump administration carried out what President Donald Trump called on social media “a large scale strike against Venezuela,” capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a nighttime military operation Jan. 3, Archbishop Hebda asked for continued prayers for archdiocesan priest Father Greg Schaffer and his parishioners.

Father Schaffer has ministered at Jesucristo Resucitado in Ciudad Guyana as part of the Minnesota archdiocese’s mission in Venezuela.

“In the aftermath of the extraction of the Venezuelan president, the U.S. State Department has described the situation in Venezuela as being particularly dangerous for Americans,” the archbishop wrote. “Please be sure to pray for Father Greg as he discerns an appropriate response to this development.”

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