TRENTON, New Jersey — A recent homily by the pastor of St. James Church in Trenton got an immediate response from parishioners. Inspired, they got up and walked outside of the church and prayed for peace, reciting Pope Francis’ “Prayer for Peace and Protection from Violence and from Terrorism” to confront rising violence in New Jersey’s capital city. Trinitarian Father Stanley DeBoe, pastor of Incarnation-St. James Parish, which includes St. James Church, suggested during Mass the morning of Aug. 29 that a prayerful witness could help begin to reverse the trend toward violence and serve to show the surrounding neighborhood that parishioners were a visible presence for peace. Trenton has experienced a rash of shootings leading to that weekend, including three incidents within a 10-day period that were within two blocks of the church.
N.J. parishioners respond to street violence with prayer | Crux Now
N.J. parishioners respond to street violence with prayer | Crux Now
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