San Francisco faith leaders respond to Minneapolis Catholic school mass shooting

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — “Personally, I wept.”

Rev. Amos Brown lead other faith leaders Thursday in a gathering at Third Baptist Church in San Francisco.

The religious leaders discussed the recent shooting at a catholic school’s church in Minneapolis.

Many of the pastors say mass shootings have become a sad reality for too many people in communities around the country.

“It’s a shame that we have to hire security to come to a place of worship where we should be able to express our love for God and our gratitude, but now we got to watch the person next to me because I don’t know who they are or what their motives are,” said Pastor Rodney Leggett, of the Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church.

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And it’s not just religious leaders who are talking about Wednesday’s shooting.

Here in the Bay Area, the Archdiocese of San Francisco says it too has felt the impact of the shooting.

They tell ABC7 News reporter Tim Johns they’re currently reviewing their protocols to ensure that students at their Catholic schools remain safe.

“We know that parents choose Catholic schools because we provide a safe, nourishing environment for their children and we really do hold that trust sacred,” said Chris Fisher.

Fisher is the superintendent of Catholic schools for the archdiocese.

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He says he and his colleagues had meetings both Wednesday and Thursday to discuss improving their already stringent security policies.

“We’ve had a robust emergency action plan in place for over a decade here in the archdiocese. And we’re constantly reviewing that, improving it and adapting it for the safety of our schools,” said Fisher.

Back at Third Baptist, some say the rhetoric coming from political leaders has led to an increase in violence.

A problem, they believe, it will take everyone to try and fix.

“Love has to prevail. Love God with all your heart, mind, body and soul. And love your neighbor as yourself. And if you love your neighbor as yourself, you won’t hurt them,” said Pastor Leggett.