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VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Leading U.S. Catholic prelates condemned the shooting of Donald Trump and call for prayers while the Vatican’s careful statement noted the Holy See’s “concern” for the situation.
After the attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, leading members of the U.S. hierarchy and bishops’ conference issued statements in response.
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the head of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), stated that “together with my brother bishops, we condemn political violence, and we offer our prayers for President Trump, and those who were killed or injured.”
Broglio continued, urging Americans to join the Catholic bishops in praying for the nation: “We also pray for our country and for an end to political violence, which is never a solution to political disagreements. We ask all people of goodwill to join us in praying for peace in our country. Mary, Mother of God and Patroness of the Americas, pray for us.”
Washington, D.C. Cardinal Wilton Gregory, who has an embattled past with Trump, called on all in the Archdiocese of Washington and all those of “good will” to “keep former President Trump and all those killed or injured in last evening’s violence in our prayers.”
“May those who work for the security of our country be strengthened in their duties,” Gregory added.
“Pray for the bystanders shot,” San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone wrote on X. “Dear Lord, put an end to this political violence. Protect former Pres. Donald Trump and Pres. Biden. Democracy dies in gunfire.”
Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley commented shortly after the shooting that the nation “has once again witnessed another deadly and tragic shooting today. We join in prayer for the recovery of former President Trump who was injured today. We also pray for the families of those killed and the injured.”
Like many of his fellow U.S. bishops, O’Malley called for “peaceful ways to resolve our differences & avoid all political violence. May the Lord bless our country and all who seek a just and peaceful society.”
Striking a similar tone was Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, who also called for a joint uniting in prayer “for the recovery of former President Donald Trump and all victims of the shooting in Butler County, Pennsylvania.”
“May the family of the deceased and wounded find consolation and hope, and may this outrage lead us, as Americans, to denounce all forms of political and gun violence and the rhetoric that incites it. Mary Immaculate, Mother of God and Patroness of the United States of America, pray for us,” Tobin stated.
Former U.S. Nuncio Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò opined that the apparent attempt on Trump’s life was due to the former president being “the leading opponent of the radical globalist Left.”
“We are deeply grateful to Our Lord who saved this brave warrior, who did not lack the strength to stand up and invite his supporters to fight,” continued Viganò, before adding that “the subversive diabolical power of the international deep state is evident, is there for all to see. Its crimes against God and humanity can no longer be hidden.”
Adding to the previous criminal attacks against avowedly anti-globalist political leaders, is now this terrible attempt to eliminate President Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump , the leading opponent of the radical globalist Left.
We are deeply grateful to Our Lord who saved… pic.twitter.com/rMmSJLRBqd
— Arcivescovo Carlo Maria Viganò (@CarloMVigano) July 14, 2024
Striking a much more cautious tone, however, was the brief statement from the Holy See press office. Issued directly to journalists, and not published on the press office’s website, the statement read:
The Holy See expresses its concern about last night’s episode of violence, which wounds people and democracy, causing suffering and death. It joins the U.S. Bishops’ prayer for America, for the victims and for peace in the country, that the motives of the violent may never prevail.
Notably absent from the statement was any mention of Trump, and notably Pope Francis made no reference to Trump’s shooting at his Sunday Angelus address – an event at which he regularly issues off the cuff pleas regarding various conflicts or humanitarian crises around the world.
EWTN’s Raymond Arroyo commented that the Vatican’s statement was “a missed opportunity to bring healing and grace out of this chaos.”
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