By Dan Russo
Editorial
One of the most inspiring stories in the nation this week is that of Sophia Forchas. The 13-year-old was critically injured in an Aug. 27 shooting during an all-school Mass at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis. She has been discharged from the hospital and was greeted with signs and cheers Oct. 23.
According to a report from Our Sunday Visitor’s news service (OSV), Sophia was in critical condition for two weeks after suffering a gunshot wound to the head.
“On her way home from Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul Oct. 23, where she was receiving inpatient rehabilitation, Sophia was escorted to Hennepin Healthcare,” reported OSV. “She was greeted by staff who clapped and cheered. Some staff cried and hugged each other. They held signs that included birthday messages and sang the ‘Happy Birthday’ song to her.”
“Sophia, a seventh grader, turned 13 on Oct. 25. Dr. Walt Galicich, credited staff at Hennepin Healthcare for assisting in the girl’s recovery. Sophia’s family, members of St. Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis, stated her healing progress was ‘nothing short of miraculous; an undeniable testament to the mercy and intervention of our Lord Jesus Christ.’”
Videos showing different parts of the girl’s homecoming have gone viral online. This moment of triumph reminds us of the hard work of first responders, medical professionals and families. It also demonstrates God’s power and the importance of prayer. As a country and a culture, we desperately need more moments like this. It’s a welcome departure from the grief and sadness that inevitably follow tragedies.
Shootings like the one at Annunciation have become more common over the decades since the Columbine High School massacre shocked the world in 1999. Each time this has happened, there is a debate about guns and how to regulate them or ban them. The purpose of this editorial is not to address the gun debate. Instead, it is to highlight a reason for hope — Sophia’s survival — and to address an underlying issue that is at the root of the gun violence we’re seeing. Over the last several decades, large numbers of people in America have lost their faith in God personally and have stopped practicing organized religion. One way to describe the phenomenon is “spiritual decay.” In an opinion piece for Alpha News, a media organization that covers local events in Minneapolis, Annunciation School parent Cally Proctor reflected on the causes for increased violence:
“My child was spared physical harm that day, and I would never minimize the grief of parents who didn’t get to tuck their child into bed that night. But they, more than anyone, deserve more than reflexive solutions,” asserted Proctor. “Evil doesn’t vanish when you remove its weapon of choice.The truth is, we live in a society unraveling spiritually. Where godlessness is not only normal, but trending. Where truth is optional and everybody gets to have their own. Where sacrifice is mocked and self-indulgence is praised.
“I see it in other ways as well,” continued Proctor. “We live in a culture that defends convenience over the value of life. We debate whether children are worth the sacrifice of time, money, career, sex appeal, and ‘self-care,’ as if their very existence is a burden. If this is how we treat life in its most innocent form, how can we possibly stand for it when confronted with despair and death?”
If a spiritual problem is at the foundation of the violence we’re seeing, then we need a spiritual solution to accompany any practical steps that are taken. First, we need to give thanks when we see the grace of God at work, such as in the case of Sophia Forchas. Second, in addition to any actions we take, we must pray at the physical locations where violence takes place. After a church is desecrated, clergy pray in a special way to heal the spiritual damage wrought on holy ground. According to reporting in the New York Post, the “Rite of Reparation of a Church Profaned” will be held at Annunciation Church following the shooting.
“The archbishop or his delegate, another bishop, will come and we consecrate the church, because there’s the presence of evil has encroached on the reality of what is a sacred space,” the Post quoted Rev. Patrick Flanagan, a professor of theology at St. John’s University, as saying.
We need to extend the concept of reparation prayer to any and all places in our society that need it. We should go, in groups if possible, and pray in public at places which need the light only God can shine. We have seen several processions of The Eucharist in the Davenport Diocese in recent weeks. These type of events are a way to give witness. And while public prayer outside of churches may not be the cure all for the spiritual darkness that seems to be increasing in certain quarters of our country, it can’t hurt. As All Souls Day approaches, let’s express our gratitude for Sophia’s recovery and pray boldly for the departed.
Dan Russo, editor
