April 24, 2026
Dear Friends,
In this past week there have been two unspeakable tragedies, both involving acts of homicidal gun violence.
On Sunday, a man shot and killed eight children and wounded two women in Shreveport. Seven of those children were his own. Thursday, in the food court of a Baton Rouge mall, two groups opened fire on each other. Six innocent bystanders were caught in the crossfire. Among them were three Ascension High School students. Two were wounded. Another, Martha Odom, died from her injuries.
Bishop Shannon Rogers Duckworth of Louisiana and I have issued a joint statement for both of our dioceses. That message has been shared separately. Here I want to offer to you my own pastoral response.
No words can adequately express our horror and heartache. The consolations of our faith do not erase or compensate for our grief. Jesus himself wept at the tomb of his friend Lazarus. And yet our faith does provide solace and hope.
Our solace comes from the Spirit’s abiding presence both in our hearts and in our loving communities. We can feel God’s love within our own souls and also in the hugs, the hymns, and the casseroles of those who grieve along with us.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the source of our hope. In him we have the promise of everlasting life. A life beyond tears and pain and regret. But our hope is more than heavenly expectation. It is also the power of love animating our lives each and every day. A love that moves us to shape a better world for all of God’s beloved children.
Today, and in the days ahead, we will grieve these precious children of God. We pray that our loving God receives them into the arms of his mercy and into the joy of his eternal light.
We pray for those who mourn; for those who fear for their children; for families enduring violence and abuse; for those weighed down by despair. And we pray for the wisdom and the strength and the courage to work with God’s grace to heal this shattered, aching world. To be instruments of peace and justice and love.
May God bless you and keep you and hold you always in the palm of his hand.
Peace in the risen Christ,
+Jake
The Rt. Rev. Jacob W. Owensby, PhD, DD
IV Bishop of Western Louisiana
26 th Chancellor of Sewanee
The Text of Bishop Jake's Original Letter is here...
