Bishop Michael Sis of San Angelo, Texas, offered these words after hearing about the shootings affecting Odessa and Midland, Texas.

“It is with a heart full of sorrow that I write these words after hearing of the deaths and injuries caused by the shootings affecting Odessa and Midland. My prayers are for those who have lost their lives, who have been seriously injured, and for their families. My prayers are also for the great people of those communities directly impacted by this senseless act of violence, especially the courageous first responders and the local medical teams. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, he saves those whose spirit is crushed (Ps 34:18). Our local churches are committed to helping our community to heal from this senseless tragedy. There are no easy answers as to how to end this epidemic of gun violence in our state and our country. I ask the Lord to enlighten all of our hearts and minds, especially our government leaders, so that we can have the insight and the courage to move from a culture of death to a culture of life.”