Catholic voices defend prayer as an essential response to violence, tragedy
When violence strikes schools, churches, or public spaces, people often turn to prayer — yet many have doubts about its real impact.
Following the recent attack at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, offered a reflection on the role of prayer and public response, published Aug. 29 by the National Catholic Register.
In his commentary, Bishop Burbidge addressed a common question that arises in the wake of mass violence: What can be done to prevent evil of this kind? While acknowledging the need for concrete steps, he cautioned against disregarding the spiritual dimension.
“Regrettably, I have seen some elected officials and media personalities dismiss the power of prayer,” he said.
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Bishop Burbidge stressed that prayer is not an excuse for inaction, but a starting point.
“We alone cannot bring peace to the world,” he wrote. “Only with the Lord is peace possible.”
Prayer, he explained, is where all “good and holy work” begins. It is also the place where hearts are shaped, relationships with God deepened, and interior wounds laid bare before divine mercy.
“We must never tire of praying fervently for the precious gift of peace that our world, nation, and communities need in abundance,” he said.
While pointing to the spiritual importance of prayer, Bishop Burbidge also acknowledged the need for thoughtful, practical responses to violence. He supported measures that limit firearm access for individuals who pose serious risks and called for renewed efforts to uphold public safety.
He cautioned that no law can eliminate evil entirely, since the deeper causes of violence lie within the human person.
“At the heart of every social issue is the human person,” he wrote. “We have become afraid as a society to speak about the crisis of persons who manifest delusions, far removed from reality, and are dealing with temptations and inner torments. We must acknowledge and respond to the crisis of mental health in our country.”
Ultimately, Bishop Burbidge called for a response that includes policy, support, and vigilance — but begins in prayer.
“Above all, we can and must pray with daily fervency,” he wrote, “calling out to the Lord, striving to remain close to him, and asking him to grant us all the peace only he can give.”
Also commenting on public reactions to prayer after the tragedy, Catholic author and radio host Patrick Madrid identified several reasons why the phrase “thoughts and prayers” is often met with skepticism or scorn.
In a Sept. 2 column, he wrote that some critics see prayer as “nothing more than wishful thinking or a sentimental slogan,” while others have grown disconnected from faith entirely, making the idea of prayer feel “hollow because it is disconnected from their lived reality.”
“What they fail to recognize is that Christian prayer is not merely, or even mostly, a plea for protection from harm,” he wrote.
He later added, “Authentic prayer extends far beyond asking for safety or self-preservation. We pray for our enemies, for forgiveness, for the souls of those who die, for fortitude in danger, for consolation of the grieving, for strength to endure suffering, for God to thwart the designs of the wicked, and for courage and hope in the face of death.”
Madrid acknowledged that critics have a point when they say the phrase “thoughts and prayers” has sometimes become a reflexive platitude.
“The phrase ‘thoughts and prayers’ has been diluted by overuse into something that often sounds trite and perfunctory, like slapping a ribbon decal on a car to virtue-signal support for [fill in the blank] cause,” he wrote.
The answer, he said, is not to abandon prayer but to make it specific and intentional. He suggested that instead of vague assurances, Christians should bear witness through concrete prayers: for God to console the grieving, protect the innocent, and guide communities to act wisely in preventing future harm.
“Such words do not reduce prayer to a hollow gesture or an empty platitude,” Madrid wrote. “They testify to real faith in the living God, who hears and responds, and they remind us that prayer and action are not enemies but companions.”
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