Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St Paul and Minneapolis encouraged people to be “a beacon of light within your own community, no matter your state in life” as he marked the one-year anniversary of the shooting at Annunciation School.
On August 27, 2025, during a Mass to celebrate the start of the school year, a gunman approached the church and began firing through a stained-glass window at the children inside. Two students, Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, were killed and 28 others were injured, some seriously. The gunman, a former student who identified as transgender, died by suicide.
While Archbishop Hebda said he did not think he had ever met either deceased student, “I feel like I have come to know them through the stories that have been shared,” he wrote in an August 24 newsletter to the archdiocese.
Merkel and Moyski “loved life, had already made many friends, and consistently brought joy into the lives of their classmates and families. I have no doubt that their absence will be forever felt. My heart continues to go out to all who feel their loss,” he said.
Archbishop Hebda said he was thankful to God for the “many ways in which he continues to bring healing into the lives of the others who were directly impacted by last year’s shooting” and that he was thankful that Minnesota has “such excellent first responders and medical care”.
“I know that the Lord was compassionately working through them and through the perseverance and courage demonstrated by each of those who were injured,” he said.
It would be understandable if a person turned away from their faith after last year’s shooting, but the people of Annunciation School’s community are “proof that even in the midst of such tragedy, there can be an outpouring of compassion, a meeting of hearts, a deepening sense of solidarity, and a turning to the Lord,” he said.
“While many hearts are understandably still hurting, we can also see how they have been fortified by the love, prayers and support that have been poured out in response to this tragedy,” said Archbishop Hebda.
Last year, Annunciation School’s theme for the school year was from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah: “A Future Filled with Hope.” While nobody at the school knew it at the time, this message would turn out to be very providential, said Archbishop Hebda.
“In choosing to hope, the Annunciation community has managed to consistently shine the light of Christ on our broader community, even during the year’s darkest moments,” he said.
This year, Annunciation School’s theme is “Guide our feet into the way of peace,” from Luke’s Gospel. This message, said Archbishop Hebda, is “both a heartfelt plea and an inspired choice, and it relates perfectly to the African proverb that Principal Matt DeBoer had quoted to the world last year on the day of the tragedy: ‘When you pray, move your feet!’”
DeBoer explained that the theme was chosen as “peace is not passive” and that a person “must work towards it”, something that Archbishop Hebda said “certainly resonates in my heart”.
For the anniversary of the shooting, Hebda offered prayers for the Annunciation community and those in need of healing, and encouraged people to join in acts of service in solidarity with the school.
“Please join me in praying for Annunciation and for all those in need of healing as we are guided to walk together in the way of peace,” he said.
