Today, I grieve with the people of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, whose lives were changed yesterday. Words feel inadequate before such loss. As Canadians, this sorrow is deeply personal.
We mourn the lives lost and pray for their families in their anguish. We remember the injured, and the first responders who stepped courageously into the chaos. We also entrust to God the perpetrator and their family, asking for his mercy and a grace strong enough to reach even the darkest places.
I invite the faithful of our Archdiocese to join me in prayer for the people of Tumbler Ridge. Offer the small sacrifices of your day for their healing.
Even in profound grief, let us remember to hold fast to hope. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. May he console, restore, and gently lead Tumbler Ridge toward healing and peace.
✠Marcel Damphousse
Archbishop of Ottawa-Cornwall
