God remains source of comfort in shooting tragedy, Omaha priest says

Published: 2007-12-10

OMAHA, Neb. (CNS) -- In a time of great sadness and pain, God remains present as a source of comfort, an Omaha priest said in his homily at a Dec. 6 prayer service for the victims of shootings the day before at one of the city's shopping malls. "We turn to God, not because God will reveal answers to all of our questions, but because God is faithful to his promise: to walk at our side in times of sorrow, even as he does in times of joy," Father Harry Buse, pastor at St. Leo Church in Omaha, told a capacity crowd of family, friends and co-workers of the victims. St. Leo Church is located just blocks from Westroads Mall where 19-year-old Robert Hawkins entered the Von Maur department store Dec. 5 around 1:30 p.m. with an AK-47 assault rifle and randomly shot and killed eight and wounded five others before turning the gun on himself. On the night of the shootings, a candlelight vigil at St. John's Church on the campus of Jesuit-run Creighton University was the first public gathering. A midday prayer service was held at the campus church Dec. 6. Also, a bell rang for each victim, including the shooter, as candles representing them and the wounded were carried to the altar.

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