The school was placed on lockdown during the nearby attack. None of the students were hurt.

About 1,000 people from the parish of about 4,600 registered parishioners attended a Nov. 14 healing Mass the night of the shootings.

At the start of their meeting Nov. 11, the bishops raised pressing issues that included the priesthood shortage, gun violence and the need to provide support services for pregnant women.

When local Catholic leaders Sept. 23 welcomed a delegation from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, including lay ministers who tend to migrants in various parts of the U.S., they proudly spoke of the "DNA" of the El Paso community, one that doesn't treat those who aren't from the area as strangers.

“We need to help our society to see our common humanity—that we are all children of God, meant to live together as brothers and sisters.”

God will not intervene to end the crisis of gun violence without our help, writes Bishop Edward K. Braxton, who offers steps for the faithful to listen, learn, think, pray and act.