Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis was restored for worship on December 6 through a rite of reparation. The special Mass followed a fatal shooting on August 27 during an all-school Mass that resulted in two student deaths and numerous injuries. Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda led the ceremony, emphasizing that God has the final word over evil and death. The rite of reparation took place outdoors due to cold weather, with the congregation gathered outside the main doors.
5 days ago
On August 27, 2025, a gunman opened fire through the stained-glass windows of Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis during an all-school Mass attended by students in grades 1-8. The attack killed two children—8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski—and injured 18 students and three adults, with the shooter dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene.1 4 5 6
The perpetrator, identified as Robin Westman (born Robert and identifying as a woman), had posted anti-Christian and explicit messages on social media prior to the incident, mocking Christ in a video. Police described the violence as "absolutely incomprehensible," marking it as a desecration under canon law due to serious offenses against human dignity.3 4 5 6
Since the shooting, no Masses have been celebrated inside the church; services shifted to the school auditorium on August 30, 2025, with ongoing decisions about resuming sacramental schedules in the building.3
On December 6, 2025, Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis, joined by Auxiliary Bishops Kevin T. Kenney and Michael Izen, led a rite of reparation outside the church's main doors amid low-20s temperatures, restoring the space for worship after over three months. The event began with prayers affirming Christ's resurrection over evil, invoking St. Paul and the Blessed Mother, before processing inside with the Litany of the Saints, incense, cross, and candles.1 3 4
The altar remained bare initially, symbolizing penance; holy water was blessed and sprinkled on the altar, sanctuary, walls, and congregation by Hebda and parish pastor Father Dennis Zehren to purify the desecrated space. More than 20 priests and deacons attended, with priests seated where the victims died as a tribute; the Mass was closed to media and the public but included a Eucharistic procession and reception.1 3 4 5 6
Prayers during the litany sought healing for the injured, comfort for affected families, and restoration of the church's sanctity dedicated to the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Readings from Advent's first Saturday emphasized God's grace in response to weeping and proclaimed Jesus' healing ministry.1 4
Hebda's homily recalled the church's 1963 dedication by Archbishop Leo Binz during Vatican II, noting its anointing with sacred chrism as a sign of being set apart for God, echoed by the facade inscription: "This is the house of God and the gate of heaven." He highlighted the building's role in praising God while focusing on the community as "living stones" nourished by sacraments to renew the world.1 3 4
Addressing the August chaos, Hebda stated the safe haven was shattered by unimaginable violence, but the community would eternally cherish Harper and Fletcher's lives cut short during Eucharist. He praised the "outpouring of love and mutual support" over three months, noting a "Christ-centered resilience" that proved contagious amid lingering sorrow.1 3 4 5 6
The rite, held during Advent, underscored preparation for Christ's incarnation amid grief, affirming God's power exceeds evil and grace abounds where sin does. Hebda urged reclaiming the space for Christ and Church, refusing to let Satan prevail, and sharing Christ's light from the tabernacle with the world.1 3 4 5 6
Vatican experts have suggested the young victims could qualify as "new martyrs" due to dying for faith during Mass. The ceremony integrated penitential elements to restore order in Christ's family, communicating resilience to the broader world.4 5 6
Parishioners, including Father Zehren and school principal Matt DeBoer, demonstrated strength post-tragedy, with the rite marking renewal for Annunciation and the archdiocese. While sorrow persists, the event highlighted communal faith as a foretaste of heavenly order, with prayers for healing extending to families like the Moyskis and Merkels.1 3
Masses will continue in the auditorium for now as the parish plans ahead, reflecting a broader archdiocesan emphasis on support and evangelization in the face of violence.3
Investigate the Catholic rite of reparation for desecrated churches
Desecration represents a profound violation of the sacred character that the Church imparts to places and objects dedicated to divine worship. In Catholic tradition, churches and other ecclesiastical buildings are set apart through consecration or blessing, rendering them inviolable for profane uses. When this sacredness is lost—through grave actions, structural damage, or misuse—the rite of reparation serves to restore their holiness, ensuring they can once again host the liturgy and foster devotion. This process is governed by canon law and liturgical norms, emphasizing the Church's authority to repair such offenses and reaffirm the sanctity of these spaces. The rite is not merely ceremonial but penitential, addressing both the material and spiritual dimensions of the violation.
A church becomes desecrated when it loses its consecration or blessing due to significant alterations or profane employment that undermines its purpose. According to ecclesiastical discipline, this occurs if the building is wholly or substantially destroyed, or if additions exceed the original structure in extent. For instance, if a large portion of the walls or roof collapses, leaving only a minor part intact, the consecration lapses. However, lesser damages—such as partial wall or roof failures, detachment of interior plastering, disappearance of crosses, or gradual wall renewals where old material predominates—do not constitute desecration. Similarly, temporary conversion to profane uses does not desecrate the space unless it involves pollution or scandal.
Grave injurious actions, such as those causing scandal to the faithful, further violate sacred places. Canon law specifies that such acts, judged by the local ordinary as contrary to the site's holiness, prohibit worship until repaired. This includes not only physical desecration but also moral offenses that profane the space. If a church can no longer serve divine worship due to irreparable damage or other grave causes, the diocesan bishop may relegate it to profane but non-sordid use, after consulting the presbyteral council and respecting legitimate rights. In these cases, the original consecration is definitively lost, necessitating a full rite of reparation for any future sacred use.
The effects are clear: desecrated churches cannot host sacraments or public prayer until restoration. This underscores the Church's view that sacred places are extensions of divine worship, demanding vigilant protection. Vestments, altar cloths, and linens must often be destroyed if polluted, as they retain their blessed form. For fixed altars, desecration arises from notable fractures, displacement of relics, or separation of the mensa from its support—issues that parallel broader church desecration.
The Catholic rite of reparation for a desecrated church primarily involves reconsecration or a penitential rite, performed according to liturgical books to expunge the violation and reinstate holiness. If the church has been execrated—through definitive profane use, substantial destruction, or renewal of most walls—the bishop or a delegated priest must conduct a new consecration or solemn benediction. The solemn benediction, inferior to full consecration, entails sprinkling the walls with holy water while reciting accompanying prayers, as outlined in the Roman Ritual. This rite purifies the space, symbolically washing away the desecration.
Canon 1211 mandates that worship ceases until "the damage is repaired by a penitential rite according to the norm of the liturgical books." This penitential aspect highlights reparation as an act of atonement, not just restoration. The local ordinary's judgment is pivotal, ensuring the rite addresses the gravity of the offense. For altars within the church, reparation follows similar principles: relocating relics or repairing fractures restores consecration, often integrated into the church's broader rite.
While the sources emphasize material repair, the spiritual dimension draws from the Church's tradition of expiation. Associations and devotions for reparation, approved by the Apostolic See, extend this to communal acts of atonement, though primarily for general offenses against divine honor rather than specific desecrations. On the Feast of the Sacred Heart, public acts of reparation are prescribed worldwide, invoking tears to wash away faults and restore Christ's rights—principles that inform but do not directly prescribe the church-specific rite.
The rite's execution adheres to strict protocols. The Holy See permits celebrations like the anniversary of a cathedral's dedication across dioceses, binding clergy to observe it, which indirectly supports the ongoing sanctity post-reparation. Modern discipline requires reconsecration after major renewals, such as roof replacements, but not for routine repairs.
The Congregation of Rites has clarified that sacred objects like chalices need no desecration ceremony before repairs; unfitness alone suffices for loss of consecration. For churches, the bishop's discretion ensures the good of souls is not harmed, balancing restoration with pastoral needs. If irreparable, profane use is allowed, but reparation remains possible for repurposed sacred elements.
These guidelines reflect the Church's nuanced approach: desecration is not irreversible without cause, and reparation restores what was divinely set apart.
Beyond mechanics, the rite of reparation embodies the Church's commitment to holiness amid human frailty. It invites the faithful to participate in atonement, mirroring Christ's redemptive sacrifice. While sources focus on canonical and liturgical details, they imply a call to vigilance—preventing desecration through reverence. In cases of controversy, such as disputed structural changes, the local ordinary's authority prevails, ensuring unity.
Contemporary applications might include churches damaged by natural disasters or vandalism, where swift reparation reaffirms community faith. The absence of detailed modern liturgical texts in the provided sources limits specifics, but the principles endure, rooted in tradition.
In summary, the Catholic rite of reparation for desecrated churches is a penitential reconsecration or benediction, mandated by canon law and guided by the bishop, to restore sacredness lost through grave violations or damage. This process safeguards divine worship, integrating material repair with spiritual expiation, and underscores the enduring holiness of ecclesiastical spaces.