Yet another Church shooting; this one at a LDX Church in Michigan

 

At least four killed at church shooting one month after Annunciation attack

written by OSV News 

Emergency personnel work at the scene of a shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint in Grand Blanc, Mich., Sept. 28, 2025. A gunman opened fire inside the church during a Sunday service and set the building ablaze, killing at least four people and injuring at least eight others. Police shot and killed the suspect, authorities said. (OSV News photo/Rebecca Cook, via Reuters)

(OSV News) — A month after a fatal shooting during Mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, at least four people were killed and eight others were wounded during a church service at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan Sept. 28. The church is on the far northwest outskirts of Detroit in the Diocese of Lansing. 

According to officials, a gunman drove a vehicle through the front of the church building during a service, started shooting, and then set a fire that consumed the building. It is possible that additional victims are inside the church, police say. Various reports said that hundreds of people were inside the building for the service. 

The gunman, identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old Michigan man and ex-Marine, was shot dead by police, according to officials. No motive has yet been identified for his actions. 

President Trump, in a post on his platform Truth Social, said he had been briefed on the shooting and that the FBI will be leading an investigation. “This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America. … PRAY for the victims, and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!”

Although members of the Church of Latter-day Saints, sometimes called Mormons, call themselves Christians, the Catholic Church teaches that their teachings about Jesus and the Trinity are at odds with Christianity. 

The shooting at the chapel, which officials have called a “total loss,” is the latest in an increasing number of violent incidents involving houses of worship. It is the third so far this year, including Annunciation in late August and an attack at Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, in July. 

Other notable shootings at houses of worship in recent years include a December 2024 attack in which a 15-year-old killed two and injured six at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin; a 2018 attack at Tree of Life synagogue that killed eleven and wounded six; a 2017 attack at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, that killed 26 and injured many more; and a 2015 attack at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, that killed nine. 

Monday is all about Angels: St. Raphael

 

St. Raphael

Feastday: September 29
Patron: of travelers, the blind, and bodily ills

St. Raphael is one of the seven Archangels who stand before the throne of the Lord, and one of the only three mentioned by name in the Bible. He appears, by name, only in the Book of Tobit. Raphael's name means "God heals." This identity came about because of the biblical story that claims he "healed" the earth when it was defiled by the sins of the fallen angels in the apocryphal book of Enoch.

Disguised as a human in the Book of Tobit, Raphael refers to himself as "Azarias the son of the great Ananias" and travels alongside Tobit's son, Tobiah. Once Raphael returns from his journey with Tobiah, he declares to Tobit that he was sent by the Lord to heal his blindness and deliver Sarah, Tobiah's future wife, from the demon Asmodeus. It is then that his true healing powers are revealed, and he makes himself known as "the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord" Tobit 12:15.

The demon Asmodeus killed every man Sarah married on the night of the wedding, before the marriage could be consummated. Raphael guided Tobiah and taught him how to safely enter the marriage with Sarah.

Raphael is credited with driving the evil spirit from Sarah and restoring Tobit's vision, allowing him to see the light of Heaven and for receiving all good things through his intercession.

Although only the archangels Gabriel and Michael are mentioned by name in the New Testament, the Gospel of John speaks of the pool at Bethesda, where many ill people rested, awaiting the moving of the water. "An angel of the Lord descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pond after the motion of the water was made whole of whatsoever infirmity he lay under" John 5:1-4. Because of the healing powers often linked to Raphael, the angel spoken of is generally associated with St. Raphael, the Archangel.

St. Raphael is the patron saint of travelers, the blind, bodily ills, happy meetings, nurses, physicians and medical workers. He is often pictured holding a staff and either holding or standing on a fish. His feast day is celebrated on September 29, along with St. Michael and St. Gabriel.

Monday is all about Angels: St. Gabriel the Archangel

 

St. Gabriel, the Archangel

Feastday: September 29
Patron: of messengers, telecommunication workers, postal workers

St. Gabriel is an angel who serves as a messenger for God to certain people. He is one of the three archangels. Gabriel is mentioned in both the Old and the New Testaments of the Bible. First, in the Old Testament, Gabriel appears to the prophet Daniel to explain his visions. Gabriel is described as, "one who looked like man," as he interprets Daniel's visions. He speaks to Daniel while he is sleeping. After Gabriel's first visit, Daniel becomes tired and sick for days. Gabriel later visits Daniel again providing him with more insight and understanding in an answered prayer.

 In the New Testament, Gabriel, described as "an angel of the Lord," first appears to Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. He tells him, "Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth." Luke 1:13. 

After Elizabeth conceived and was six months pregnant, Gabriel appears again. The Book of Luke states he was sent from God to Nazareth to visit the virgin married to a man named Joseph. Gabriel said to Mary, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." Luke 1:28.

"Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1:30-33 

Gabriel told Mary she would conceive from The Holy Spirit, and the baby will be the Son of God. 

After the Annunciation of Mary, Gabriel is not spoken of again. 

Gabriel's attributes are the Archangel; he is clothed in blue or white; and is seen carrying a lily, a trumpet, a shining lantern, a branch from Paradise, a scroll or a scepter. In art, Gabriel is most commonly represented in the scene of the Annunciation. In art, Gabriel is often represented in the scene of the Annunciation.

 He is occasionally cited as the one who blows God's trumpet to indicate the Lord's return to Earth. However, the person designated with this task varies; different passages cite different people. The earliest known identification of Gabriel as the trumpet holder comes in 1455 represented in Byzantine art.

 Gabriel is recognized as the patron saint of messengers, telecommunication workers, and postal workers. His feast day is celebrated on September 29, along with St. Michael and St. Raphael.

Monday is all about Angels: St. Michael the Archangel

 

St. Michael the Archangel

Feastday: September 29
Patron: of grocers, soldiers, doctors, mariners, paratroopers, police, and sickness

St. Michael the Archangel, also known as Saint Michael the Archangel or simply Archangel Michael, holds a significant place in the Roman Catholic tradition. He is an Archangel, associated with courage, protection, and divine intervention.

Biblical and Historical Roots
St. Michael's presence can be traced back to early Jewish writings, particularly in texts from the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. In these ancient texts, he is depicted as the chief among angels and archangels, responsible for guarding and caring for Israel.

Guardian Prince of Israel
In Jewish tradition, St. Michael is often referred to as the guardian prince of Israel, a protector who stands ready to defend God's chosen people. He appears in the Book of Enoch as one of the seven archangels, alongside Uriel, Raguel, Raphael, Sariel, Gabriel, and Remiel. These archangels are described as standing before the glory of the Lord.

Defender of the Faith
St. Michael's role as a defender of faith and a warrior against evil is most vividly portrayed in the New Testament, particularly in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 12:7–12). Here, he engages in a cosmic battle against Satan, casting the adversary out of heaven and preventing him from accusing humanity before God. St. Michael's triumphant role in this battle marks a significant shift from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

The Epistle of Jude
In the Epistle of Jude, St. Michael is cited as an example of righteous judgment and opposition to evil. He is contrasted with heretics, as he did not hesitate to rebuke Satan over the body of Moses, saying, "The Lord punish you!" This passage underscores St. Michael's unwavering commitment to God's divine justice.

In Our Catholic Tradition
Within our Roman Catholic tradition, St. Michael the Archangel holds a special place. He is often invoked as "Holy Michael, the Archangel" or "Saint Michael" in prayers and liturgies. While not formally canonized as a saint, he is revered as a celestial being with immense significance.

Four Main Roles in Catholic Teaching
We recognize that St. Michael has four "offices" or roles.

• Leader of the Army of God: St. Michael is seen as the commander of heaven's forces, leading the angelic host in their battle against the powers of darkness. He serves as a model of spiritual warfare, reflecting the ongoing struggle between good and evil.
• Angel of Death: St. Michael is regarded as the angel of death, accompanying the souls of departed Christians to heaven. At the moment of death, he offers the souls an opportunity for redemption, thwarting the devil's attempts to claim them.
• Weigher of Souls: St. Michael is often depicted holding balanced scales, symbolizing his role in weighing souls during the Last Judgment. This signifies his involvement in the divine judgment of humanity.
• Guardian of the Church: St. Michael serves as the guardian of the Church and the Chosen People. Throughout history, he has been revered by military orders of knights and is considered the patron saint of various cities and countries.

Prayers and Devotions
Catholics frequently turn to St. Michael for protection and guidance. The "Prayer to Saint Michael" specifically implores his defense against the forces of darkness. The "Chaplet of Saint Michael" consists of nine salutations, each dedicated to one of the choirs of angels, and serves as a way to honor and seek the intercession of St. Michael.
St. Michael the Archangel plays a crucial role in our Roman Catholic tradition as a defender of faith, protector of souls, and a symbol of divine justice. His presence and intercession are sought after in times of spiritual warfare and challenges, making him a revered figure in Catholic devotion and liturgy.

Papal Prayers at end of today's Mass & before Angelus

 

Vietnam evacuates thousands, shuts airports as Typhoon Bualoi nears 

Pope

• Asia
• natural disasters
• Pope Leo XIV
• Angelus

Pope prays for victims of typhoon in Asia

Pope Leo prays for those affected by a typhoon that has struck the Phiippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and parts of China. He also announces that St John Henry Newman will be declared Doctor of the Church on the 1st November.

Read also

28/09/2025

Pope at Mass: Catechists accompany our faith journey throughout life

By Benedetta Capelli

Towards the end of the Mass for the Jubilee of Catechists, and before reciting the noonday Angelus prayer, Pope Leo addressed the faithful gathered in St Peter's Square.

His thoughts turned in particular to Asia, where, he said, “a very powerful typhoon” has struck several regions, “in particular the Philippines, the island of Taiwan, the city of Hong Kong, the Guangdong region and Vietnam”

“I assure the affected populations,” the Pope continued, “especially the poorest, of my closeness and my prayers for the victims, the missing, the many displaced families, the countless people who have suffered hardship, as well as the rescue workers and civil authorities.”

“I invite everyone to put their trust in God and to show solidarity with others. May the Lord give strength and courage to overcome every adversity.”

Typhoon Ragasa, which said to be the strongest so far this year, has forced the evacuation of over two million people in Guangdong alone. In addition to extensive damage, flooding, power outages and landslides, it has caused at least 25 deaths in the Philippines and 14 in Taiwan. 

Read also

31/07/2025

St John Henry Newman set to become newest Doctor of the Church

John Henry Newman to be Doctor of the Church

The Pope also announced the date of the conferral of the title of Doctor of the Church, already announced on 31 July, on Cardinal John Henry Newman.

The English man of letters was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on 19 September 2010 and then canonised by Pope Francis on 13 October 2019.

Pope Leo said that Newman “made a decisive contribution to the renewal of theology and the understanding of the development of Christian doctrine”.

Born on 21 February 1801 in London, Newman became an Anglican priest at the age of 24. In 1845, he asked to enter the Catholic Church, and two years later he was ordained a priest. A renowned theologian and philosopher, he was made a cardinal by Pope Leo XIII and chose the motto: ‘Cor ad cor loquitur’, ‘Heart speaks to heart’, a phrase attributed to St Francis de Sales and which Pope Francis referred to in his encyclical Dilexit nos.

Gratitude to catechists

Pope Leo then warmly greeted the individuals who had received the ministry of catechist during the Mass, as well as all those working all throughout the world.

“I extend my good wishes for a fruitful service to all catechists in the Church throughout the world! Thank you for your service to the Church. Let us pray for them, especially for those who work in difficult conditions.”

Pope Leo XIV presides at Mass for Jubilee of Catechists

 

Pope

• Pope Leo XIV
• mass
• catechesis
• #JUBILEE2025
• witness of faith

Pope at Mass: Catechists accompany our faith journey throughout life

At Mass for the Jubilee of Catechists, Pope Leo XIV praises those who seek to accompany others in the faith, and invites all Christians to help one another learn to believe, hope, and then love.

By Devin Watkins

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday as the Church marked the Jubilee of Catechists.

In his homily, the Pope reflected on the day’s Gospel reading (Lk 16:19-31), which recounts the story of the rich man and Lazarus, noting that this was the same Gospel read during the Jubilee of  Catechists during the Holy Year of Mercy in 2016.

Through this Gospel passage, he said, Jesus shows us how God views the world, as one man lies dying with dogs licking his wounds while another man gorges himself in elegant clothes just on the other side of the door.

“At the doorstep of today’s opulence stands the misery of entire peoples, ravaged by war and exploitation,” he said. “Through the centuries, nothing seems to have changed.”

Even as many Lazaruses die while the rich ignore what is before their eyes, the Gospel assures us that God will do justice to both, putting an end to the poor man’s sufferings and to the rich man’s revelry.

After the rich man dies, he sees Lazarus at Abraham’s side and begs God to warn his brothers of his fate. Yet Abraham, said Jesus, tells him that those who are alive have Moses and the prophets to warn them.

“Listening to Moses and the Prophets means remembering God’s commandments and promises, whose providence never abandons anyone,” said the Pope. “The Gospel announces to us that everyone’s life can change because Christ rose from the dead.”

Jesus’ Resurrection, he added, is the truth which saves us and which must be proclaimed by the Church through her catechists.

By learning to love this truth, we come to understand the Gospel as our hearts are transformed and opened to God and our neighbor, said the Pope.

Pope Leo then reflected on the meaning of the word “catechist,” which he said comes from the Greek word meaning “to teach aloud, to make resound.”

A catechist, he said, is a person of the word that they proclaim with their life, whether they are our parents or a minister on behalf of the Church.

“We have all been taught to believe through the witness of those who believed before us,” he said. “From childhood, adolescence, youth, adulthood, and even old age, catechists accompany us in our faith, sharing in this lifelong journey.”

Catechists and everyone who teaches others by their example, said the Pope, cooperate in the Church’s pastoral work by listening and serving “the desire for justice and truth that dwells in the human conscience.”

In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV invited catechists to be filled with faith so that they may help others along their journey of faith.

As St. Augustine told the Deacon Deogratias, “Explain everything in such a way that the one who listens to you, by listening, may believe; by believing, may hope; and by hoping, may love.”

Saint of the Day for Sunday

 

St. Lorenzo Ruiz

Feastday: September 28
Patron: of Filipino youth, Chinese-Filipinos, the Philippines, Overseas Filipino Workers, people living in poverty, Filipino altar servers
Birth: 1600
Death: 1637

Beatified: Pope John Paul II
Canonized: Pope John Paul II

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz was born around the year 1600 in Binondo, Manila in the Philippines. He was the son of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother. Both were Christians and took care to raise Lorenzo as a Catholic. He served happily in his parish church as an altar boy and calligrapher.

As a young man, Lorenzo joined the Dominican Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary.

Later, he married a woman named Rosario. The happy couple had three children, two sons and one daughter. By all accounts, the family was ordinary and happy.

In 1636, Lorenzo was accused of murder. Allegedly he killed a Spaniard. However, to protect his safety at the time, he fled home and found refuge on board a ship with three Dominican priests and a leper. There are no details of this alleged crime other than a journal entry by two Dominican priests, that he joined their group to escape possible arrest. The ship departed the Philippines on June 10, 1636, bound for Okinawa.

A shock awaited the holy passengers when they arrived in Japan. At the time of their arrival, the rulers of Japan, the Tokugawa Shogunate, were persecuting Christians. Prior to this persecution, the Christian population of Japan was thought to number 50,000 souls.

Now Lorenzo was arrested by Japanese officials for the crime of being a Christian and ordered to recant his faith. When he refused he was imprisoned for two years. On September 27, 1637, Lorenzo and his companions were taken to Nagasaki to be tortured and killed if they would not recant their faith.

Lorenzo and his companions were tortured by water, which was forced into their mouths and down their throats and out their noses and ears. Despite the painful torture, the men refused to do so.

Following this, Lorenzo was hanged upside down, with a rope around his ankles. This method of torture was known as tsurushi, or "gallows and pit." The torture forces a person to be hanged upside down with a gash cut in their forehead to prevent too much blood from gathering in the head. The gash also causes the victim to bleed to death over an extended period of time.

Those who have survived the torture have said it is unbearable.

One hand is left free so the victim can offer an agreed symbol that will represent their desire to recant their faith. Those few who recant are spared and allowed to live. But few people ever recanted, choosing instead to die for their faith.

Lorenzo refused to recant. According to the record of his death, his last words were, "I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God. Had I a thousand lives, all these to Him I shall offer. Do with me as you please."

His traveling companions were all killed, steadfast until the end.

Lorenzo was beatified by Pope John Paul II on February 18, 1981. The beatification ceremony was held in the Philippines making it the first beatification ceremony ever held outside the Vatican.

A miracle attributed to his intercession occurred in 1983. A two-year-old girl, Alegria Policarpio, suffering from hydrocephaly, a condition she had since birth, was miraculously cured.

His canonization took place at the Vatican on October 18, 1987.

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz is the patron saint of Filipino youth, the Philippines, people working overseas, and altar servers.

His feast day is September 28.

Pope Leo XIV has Saturday Audience with the Jubilee for Catechists

 

Pope

• Pope Leo XIV
• general audience
• #JUBILEE2025
• catechesis
• faith

Pope at Jubilee Audience: Faith of simple people guides the Church

As catechists from around the world gather in Rome, Pope Leo XIV holds a special Jubilee Audience, saying the ‘sensus fidei,’ the faith of the simple people for the things of God, propels the Church along new paths.

By Devin Watkins

Pope Leo XIV held a special Jubilee Audience in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday, as thousands of catechists attend the Jubilee of Catechists on September 26-28.

In his catechesis, the Pope reflected at length on the sensus fidei, which he said is like a “sixth sense of simple people for the things of God.”

“God is simple and reveals Himself to the simple,” he said. “For this reason, there is an infallibility of the People of God in believing, of which the infallibility of the Pope is an expression and a service.”

Pope Leo turned to the 4th century St. Ambrose, who was serving as governor of the city of Milan during a time of great conflict in the Church.

As a civil authority, he intervened at a crucial point in the election of a new Bishop of Milan, employing his great ability for listening and mediation to bring calm among the faithful.

Tradition recounts that a child cried out “Ambrose bishop!” and the whole people joined him in acclamation.

“Ambrose was not even baptized; he was only a catechumen, that is, preparing for Baptism,” he said. “Yet the people perceived something profound in this man and elected him. Thus, the Church had one of its greatest bishops, and a Doctor of the Church.”

Ambrose, said Pope Leo, at first refused and even fled the city, before understanding that this was a call from God, thus allowing himself to be baptized and ordained bishop.

The Pope marveled at the great gift that “the little ones” gave to the Church.

“Even today this is a grace to ask for: to become Christians while living out the vocation we have received!” he said.

As parents, entrepreneurs, workers, teachers, priests, or religious, every person is called to be a Christian through their chosen path, noted the Pope, adding that people can “sense” whether we are truly becoming Christians or not.

After accepting his vocation, St. Ambrose lifted up the faith of his people, even creating new ways of singing psalms and hymns, of celebrating the liturgy and preaching.

St. Ambrose’s preaching even converted St. Augustine, who himself became a bishop and Doctor of the Church.

“He himself knew how to perceive, and in this way hope multiplied,” he said. “To perceive, to intuit, is a way of hoping—let us not forget this!”

In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV said God moves His Church forward and shows her new paths through the sensus fidei, the faith of the people of God.

“To perceive, to intuit, is the instinct of the little ones for the Kingdom that is coming,” he said. “May the Jubilee help us to become little ones according to the Gospel, so as to perceive and serve God’s dreams!”