EDINA, Minn. — Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church was packed during Mass Aug. 19 ahead of “An Evening with Annunciation Parents: Faith, Hope and Resilience,” an event held eight days before the one-year anniversary of the fatal shooting at nearby Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

After the parish’s evening Mass in the church, with Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis presiding, the gathering in the parish hall featured a panel discussion with three Annunciation parents and a recent graduate of the preK-to-grade-eight school.

They recounted their experiences and journeys following the shooting in Annunciation Catholic Church during an all-school Mass Aug. 27, 2025, in which two students were killed: 10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel.  

The adult panelists were Laura Eiden, a kindergarten teacher at Annunciation, and parents Tara Keegan and Dan Brady.  

The Annunciation Light Alliance — a parent-led advocacy group — helped organize the event. Father Kevin Finnegan, Our Lady of Grace’s pastor, helped moderate the discussion and concelebrated the Mass. Father Dennis Zehren, Annunciation’s pastor, also concelebrated.  

‘We see those hints of God’s goodness’

In his homily, Archbishop Hebda encouraged everyone to trust that God “is treating us as that good shepherd,” a shepherd with a deep heart for his sheep, “who makes sure that there is nothing that we would want for in those green pastures to which he leads us.” 

“Now, my brothers and sisters, there are times when the pastures don’t seem so green, and certainly for so many families in our archdiocese, it’s been tough to see the greenness of the pasture since last Aug. 27,” Archbishop Hebda said.

“And yet, we also see blessings,” he continued. “We see those hints of God’s goodness, of his generosity and his heart, and we trust that he’s going to continue to lead us into a deeper vision of how it is that he’s generous with us and how it is that he loves us with a shepherd’s heart.”

‘No one’s story from that day is the same’

With Father Finnegan moderating, all four panelists shared their experience of Aug. 27. Some were in the church during the shooting, and others were on their way after hearing the news. All speakers shared their pain.  

Brady said that he finds hope in moments like the event at Our Lady of Grace, with “people continuing to gather to hear these stories and to bear witness to it, and to take action” with “a mind towards doing better.”

As a teacher, Eiden said, “People ask me all the time how we are doing, how are the kids, how are the teachers.”

“The reality is that I can only answer that question for myself,” she said. “Since this journey toward healing is incredibly personal, no one’s story from that day is the same, and no journey is either. What I can see for myself is that my Annunciation community, my children, and my students keep me going. They need me, and I need them.”

Annunciation’s students give Eiden hope, she said.

“Are they struggling? Yes, they really are. And yet, they are getting up every day after living what they lived through,” she said. “They shine, and they continue to be the reason we’re here and telling these stories.”

‘What happened was not part of God’s plan’

Keegan spoke about wrestling with anger, and said that “every time I feel that anger, I remind myself that what happened was not part of God’s plan.”

“He did not just sit back and allow this to happen. This happened because of evil, and so when I’m feeling that anger, when any of us are feeling anger, it’s up to us to choose what we’re going to do with that anger,” she said.

“The devil, evil, darkness wants nothing more than for us to be angry at God,” she continued. “He wants nothing more than for us to turn our backs on God and to never enter a church again. It’s up to us to take that anger and do good with it. Take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it to do good.” 

Gradually, Keegan said, she spent more time in the Eucharistic adoration chapel. She prayed a rosary every single day and found comfort in prayer and God’s presence in Mass and the community.  

“It’s hard, and it’s different every day,” Brady said. “I think you do it step by step. Sometimes you take steps back. But it’s the reality of what we’re trying to do here.”  

“I do think a major part of it is this community,” Keegan added. “Not just Annunciation, but beyond. The community has been such a support to us. Honestly, without it, I don’t know where we would be. I’m grateful every day for Annunciation.”

‘We all carry grief and hurt and pain differently’

Father Finnegan said he was grateful for the boldness and honesty with which the guests shared their hearts.  

“It’s a powerful reminder that we all carry grief and hurt and pain differently,” Father Finnegan said. “But we can also learn and grow from that as well.”  

Joe Eiden, an Annunciation parent and parishioner and Laura Eiden’s husband, spoke on behalf of the Annunciation Light Alliance. He said the group continues to look to Annunciation staff and leadership for guidance on “how to find strength to move our feet toward a safer future for all of you.” 

Over the past several months, the ALA built relationships with legislators across the political spectrum, he said.

“We believe that keeping kids safe from gun violence is not a matter of politics; it is a matter of conscience,” Joe Eiden said. “We continue to believe that sharing our experiences might lead to action, and action might lead to change. We cannot allow ourselves to believe these tragedies are inevitable. They are not inevitable.”

The night concluded with Archbishop Hebda and Father Finnegan holding candles and leading a procession from Cassidy Hall to the church for time in silent prayer. Annunciation begins the new academic year Aug. 31.

Josh McGovern is a reporter at The Catholic Spirit, newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. This story was originally published by The Catholic Spirit and is distributed through a partnership with OSV News.