Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski of Providence offered prayers following a shooting at Brown University on December 13. The incident resulted in two student deaths and nine injuries. The shooting occurred shortly after 4 p.m. ET in the Barus and Holley building, which houses the School of Engineering and Physics Department. As of December 14, authorities reported that a person of interest connected to the shooting was in police custody. Bishop Lewandowski expressed deep sadness and called for unity in prayer for the victims, the injured, and the entire Brown University community.
3 months ago
A mass shooting occurred on December 13, 2025, at Brown University's Barus and Holley building in Providence, Rhode Island, during a final exam study session involving about 60 students.1 3
Two students were killed and nine others wounded when an unidentified gunman opened fire.1 3
Providence Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski expressed deep sadness over the "senseless shooting" and called for united prayer for the deceased, injured, Brown community, and all affected.1 3
He prayed for guidance to elected officials, law enforcement, and first responders, while offering the Diocese of Providence's resources, clergy, personnel, and charitable aid.1 3 6
The statement invoked blessings and Our Lady of Providence's care.1 3
On December 14, officials reported a person of interest in custody.1
By December 15, that individual was released after evidence review, with Providence Mayor Brett Smiley stating the search for the shooter continues.3 4 5
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha noted limited cameras in the building and no clear suspect images beyond a short video without the gunman's face.3
As of December 15, one injured person was discharged from the hospital.3 4 5
One remained in critical but stable condition, with seven others stable.3 4 5
Brown University canceled all remaining undergraduate, graduate, and medical classes and exams for the semester.1 3
President Christina H. Paxson offered support to victims' families, expressing heartbreak over their pain and ongoing fear.3 4 5
Rep. Gabe Amo, D-R.I., described the community's unexpected hurt and lamented recurring tragedies.1
Local businesses and events closed December 14 out of caution.1
Dominican friars serving as Brown campus ministers mourned the deaths, prayed for the wounded, and entrusted the community to Our Lady of Sorrows.6
Providence College, nearby, offered solidarity, included victims in weekend Mass intentions, and provided counseling amid national concerns over such violence.6
Investigate Catholic pastoral response to campus violence
The Catholic Church addresses campus violence—encompassing tragic incidents like school shootings and assaults on educational institutions—through a multifaceted pastoral approach rooted in mercy, consolation, education for peace, and advocacy for systemic change. Drawing from papal teachings and episcopal statements, this response prioritizes healing victims, forming consciences against violence, fostering reconciliation, and promoting reasonable measures to prevent future harm, all while upholding human dignity and the Gospel call to overcome evil with good.
At the heart of the Church's pastoral ministry is immediate spiritual accompaniment for those affected by violence. Pope John Paul II exemplified this during his 1980 visit to Balvano, Italy, after a church collapse that killed many, including children and youth. He assured the grieving that the Church stands close, invoking Christ's command to "strengthen your brothers" through faith, hope, and charity greater than suffering and death. This model extends to campus tragedies, where bishops and chaplains are called to guide communities, restore hope, and affirm the Church as a spiritual force.
Similarly, Pope Leo XIV's 2025 Prayer Vigil for the Jubilee of Consolation urges the Church to kneel with victims of injustice and violence, offering the maternal comfort of Mary and emphasizing that "pain must not give rise to violence, and that violence never has the final say, for it is conquered by a love that knows how to forgive." He highlights communal consolation, drawing from St. Paul: God consoles us in affliction "so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God" (2 Cor 1:4). In campus settings, this translates to chaplains providing doctrinal and spiritual support to students, strengthening their identity amid trauma.
Catholic universities, per Ex Corde Ecclesiae, must direct pastoral ministry toward the suffering, beginning within the academic community and extending outward, attentive to the poorest and those facing injustice. This includes full-time chaplains on campuses to assist young Catholics, preparing them for encounters while addressing violence's spiritual wounds.
Prevention through moral formation is central, as violence stems from the human heart's failure to respect God's image in others. Pope John Paul II, in his 1993 Denver address amid urban violence concerns, called for a "massive effort to educate consciences in the moral truths which sustain respect for life," assigning responsibility to individuals, families, society, and media. He urged teaching youth justice, peace, and fraternal respect to resist resentment and violence, echoing efforts in schools and universities.
In Congo, post-violence, John Paul II praised the Church's educational programs for youth's "human, spiritual, moral and civic formation," essential to counter threats mortgaging their future. The U.S. bishops reinforce this, confronting a "culture of violence" destroying lives in schools and streets, obligating a response through Gospel light.
The Church combines spiritual care with public action. The USCCB's 2016 backgrounder on gun violence explicitly references campus horrors like Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Sandy Hook, urging a "mercy and peacebuilding approach." While affirming legitimate self-defense, it laments guns' easy access and calls for universal background checks, limits on high-capacity magazines, anti-trafficking laws, and mental health improvements—measures respecting rights while protecting life. Pope Francis is quoted: those sowing violence must see enemies as brothers and choose dialogue over arms.
This aligns with broader teachings: violence is "unworthy of man" and destroys dignity; the Church witnesses unarmed prophets using non-violent defense. Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship stresses preventing conflicts peacefully, rejecting torture, and addressing terror's roots, honoring armed service while prioritizing reconstruction. In Rwanda's 1994 genocide, John Paul II implored forgiveness over vengeance.
Sources note tensions, like just war tradition's evolution toward peacemaking primacy, yet affirming force to remove peace obstacles when just. No source endorses vigilantism; all prioritize non-violence, mercy, and formation. While not exhaustive on campuses, these principles apply directly, as seen in USCCB calls post-mass shootings.
In summary, Catholic pastoral response to campus violence integrates consolation for the wounded, education against violence's roots, and advocacy for peacebuilding measures. By evangelizing hope, forming youth in dignity, and urging societal responsibility, the Church builds a civilization of love, where grace triumphs over sin.