Armed Gunman Stopped by Parishioners at First Communion Mass in Louisiana | EWTN News Nightly

Some quick thinking parishioners at a Louisiana church were able to avert a crisis when an armed gunman opened the back door at a First Communion Mass. Livestream video of the Mass at Saint Mary Magdalen Church captures when the celebrant was alerted to the situation. The parishioners disarmed the suspect and had him pinned to the ground by the time police arrived. The 16-year-old suspect was charged with terrorizing and 2 counts of possession of a firearm by a juvenile. The bishop of Lafayette, Louisiana said "we are thankful to God that a tragedy was avoided." President of the Faith Based Security Network and author of "Evil Invades Sanctuary," Carl Chinn, joins to share his reaction to what we saw unfold at the church of Saint Mary Magdalen in Louisiana. Chinn tells us whether there are steps that churches and other houses of worship can take to prevent dangerous situations such as this. He explains whether there are any examples of churches that have successfully implemented security measures and averted threats.
------------
EWTN News Nightly provides the latest news and analysis from a Catholic perspective. Join host Tracy Sabol, our Capitol Hill, White House and Rome Correspondents, as well as many other diverse guests daily, to get the latest from the U.S. and the Vatican on topics regarding our Catholic faith and interests.
-------------
EWTN News Nightly airs on EWTN weekdays at 6pm & 9pm ET.
------------
Don't miss an episode of EWTN New Nightly. Get updates here:
www.ewtn.com/tv/shows/ewtn-ne...
-------------
Sign up today to receive the EWTN News Nightly newsletter:
www.ewtn.com/enn
-------------
Follow EWTN News Nightly on Social Media:
Facebook: / ewtnnewsnightly
Twitter: / ewtnnewsnightly
Instagram: / ewtnnewsnightly
-------------
Subscribe to EWTN KZbin channel here:
/ ewtn
-------------
You can support the EWTN News mission:
bit.ly/3qDR1qf

[@daninspiration4064]

The guy that told the priest genuflected before the tabernacle before coming to the priest. Wow such reverence even in the midst of terror. True faithful man

[@mubangapatriciasampa6326]

🙌🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@chiajoegm1045]

The act of genuflecting is a deception to mislead the people of his intentions. Not respect .

[@suzicares2721]

If he had MORE faith, he would've skipped the ritual in a moment of urgency. God doesn't mind.

[@liliangramajo3487]

Saint Michael the Archangel protect us!

[@anicetosoares5997]

Amen.God always be my Protector.

[@suzicares2721]

No, GOD protects us.

[@selam_goitom_16]

Amen

[@gardennovice7896]

Tragedy avoided! Thanks be to God!

[@angeleslopez5090]

All praise to God❤

[@SantaFe19484]

It is a tragedy that they disregarded Jesus' command to love your enemies and Paul's command to not repay evil for evil.

[@John.Christopher]

Absolutely disgraceful. True cowards attack a place of worship

[@SantaFe19484]

It is absolutely disgraceful that this church has ignored Jesus' command to love your enemies, and Romans 13, the latter stating that only the government i.e. the police have the authority to use deadly force.

[@John.Christopher]

@@SantaFe19484 ? How has it done so. The pastor who's life was nearly taken forgave him immediately.

[@John.Christopher]

@@SantaFe19484 Any update or clarity here, my friend?

[@TedEhioghae]

Please, follow Jesus Christ and His Word (the Bible). Not rituals of the Church.

[@user-fy7xq1rf5m]

Satan and his demons are working hard to destroy the Way. But, we know that the gates of hell shall not prevail!

[@danielrocha-garcia8609]

St. Michael said “Absolutely NOT!”

[@antoinettedavid2826]

Thank You, God! I daily pray a decade of my rosary for the protection of our churches from attacks and invasion from destructive ppl.

[@TedEhioghae]

Where is that in the Bible? To pray for a rosary.

[@atgred]

@@TedEhioghaeWhere does it say in the Bible “ONLY THE BIBLE”?But the Bible does say: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and HYMNS (the Rosary is a hymn) and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭19‬ The Rosary is a gift to Christ’s Mother. That is why the name which represents ROSES. All the prayers are Biblical. The “Hail Mary” is in Luke 1 and our Lord’s prayer is in Mt. 6. The earliest known prayer to Her is “Beneath Thy Protection” (Ancient Greek: Ὑπὸ τὴν σὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν; Latin: Sub Tuum Præsidium) is an ancient Christian hymn and prayer. It is one of the oldest known Marian prayers and among the most ancient preserved hymns to the Blessed Virgin Mary that is still in use. “We fly to Thy protection, O Holy Mother of God; Do not despise our petitions our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin. Amen” God shares His Glory to us thanks to Christ’s sacrifice. Shared Glory? John 17 22 The *glory* that you gave me, *I have given them* , so that they may be one, just as we are one. Romans 8 17 And if children, also heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, so that *with him we may be glorified.* 18 For I am certain that the afflictions of the present time are not worth comparing with *the glory to come that will be revealed in us.* 1 Peter 5 1 I pray to the elders who are among you, I am also an elder with them, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, that *I am also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:* 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, *you will receive the incorruptible crown of glory.* 2 Peter 1 3 As all things that pertain to life and godliness *have been given to us by his divine power* , through the knowledge of him who called us by his glory and excellence, 4 *through which he has given us precious and very great promises, so that through them you might become partakers of the DIVINE NATURE* , having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust; 1 John 3 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we will be; but we know that when he appears, *WE WILL BE LIKE HIM, because we will see him as he is.* 1 Cor. 13 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10 But when that which is perfect comes, then that which is in part will come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I judged like a child; But when I was a man, I left what I was like as a child. 12 Now we see through a mirror, darkly; but then we will see *face to face.* Now I know in part; but then I will know as I was known. 2 Cor. 3:18 Therefore we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed from glory to glory into the same image, as by the Spirit of the Lord. Power of Mary Luke1:35 And the angel answered and said to him, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the POWER of the Most High will overshadow you. The Saints in the presence of God INTERCEDE (Hebrews 12, 1 Tim. 2) for us asking Jesus for us to the Father. As we see in this last verse. John 14:12 Truly, truly, I say to you, He who believes in me, the works that I do, *he will do also; and he will do even greater things,* because I go to the Father. 13 And whatever you ask the Father in my name, I will do it, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. To say that this verse is only when we are here on earth is to deny what Revelation 5:8 shows us about intercession in Heaven; “8 And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb; They all had harps, and golden bowls full of incense, *which are the prayers of the saints”*

[@undolf4097]

@@TedEhioghaeDo you know where the rosary comes from?

[@FollowerofChrist864]

​@@TedEhioghae the Hail Mary is literally scripture.

[@TheBookofTruth-fn1bh]

Did you need to tell God you pray a decade of your rosary for the protection of our churches, or did you just want the rest of us to know this? “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you." - Matthew 6:5-6

[@JA-vv8wy]

Haven’t seen this anywhere in the mainstream media

[@bigpoppa5732]

I'm in Louisiana and hadn't heard anything about it

[@jaclowho7958]

Be sure if this happened in a mosque, large headlines in the media .

[@jamesv2471]

The mainstream media hates the Catholic Church. This is not news for them.

[@Lafeolamom]

I pray for that persons conversion and thank God that everyone is safe.

[@cindikomarec2393]

Thank you Saint Michael for your protection over this situation and God Bless All

[@debrarouselle9761]

Thank you Jesus!!

[@patriciamckenna6099]

This is happening more and more.sending you love and prayers from Ireland 🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️🇮🇪☘️

[@Denis.Collins]

No it isn’t. We hear more and more about these isolated incidents. There is a difference

[@tiredenough7739]

@@Denis.Collins We are hearing more of them because the increase in volume.

[@ReyneldaRivera-dv6un]

Our Lady save the church community while reciting the Hail Mary

[@letspraytherosary4410]

The priest continues with Mass (as I know he should), and how hard that must've been! The altar boy tries to genuflect before running. I want all non-Catholics to see this; this is how you know the True Presence of Christ is here!

[@mallon201]

The Priest actually stopped the Mass, told the people that they were to engage in prayer and in a very Catholic response the Priest began leading the congregation in prayer to Our Lady by saying the Hail Mary, this diverted the attention of the people and kept a large crowd of people reasonably calm in the face of a serious threat.

[@Susan1Minnie]

Thanks be to God that our Church has intentional security, who sit and stand outside our Church during Mass. They have averted multiple incidents of individuals attempting to get inside the church. Many of us pray for our security daily, and some pray a Rosary for them.🙏

[@Denis.Collins]

You must live in a very violent area, or be very unlucky. I don’t know of any church anywhere that has had multiple attacks of this sort.

[@phoenixma1213]

​@@Denis.Collinslook at the churches in the middle east, specially in egypt, Lebanon, Syria and iraq

[@blaiseaimee7098]

That looks like a devout parish, everybody kept bowing/kneeling in front of the tabernacle in the middle of the chaos!

[@sp1704]

Did we watch the same video? The altar servers all went running across the altar like scared rabbits, and the congregation was a total mess down in the front pews

[@TheEvilPig01]

@@sp1704 Almost as if the altar servers are kids...

[@sp1704]

@@TheEvilPig01 Haha You don't know our altar servers. Anyway, child or no, that wasn't the point. The point was exactly what I stated, that it's almost like the PP, and you and I were not watching the same video.

[@julienewman1344]

God have mercy on me a sinner

[@mommyseastar5776]

Praise God for the men who protected the innocent. St. Michael, pray for us and protect our families. ❤🙏🏼💪🏼

[@janetrouse5917]

This is terrible for all churches & synagogues.

[@jocelynmelchorb2553]

Oh yeah their mosques are safe because we're NOT CRIMINALS LIKE THEM

[@user-dv2wp4iq5r]

Thanks be to God!!

[@swoosh1mil]

We Catholics are on it. We spotted and located the gunman. Assessed and accounted for safety and security of the Faithful. Detained and neutralized the threat. Zero casualties. We are the Church Militant!!! Oorah…God bless ‘Merica!

[@TedEhioghae]

Catholics follow the pope, not the Bible.

[@daytimestudios3678]

‘M’Erica!!!!

[@Sorchia56]

Oo-rah 🫡

[@TedEhioghae]

Christianity is not an umbrella term. You are either a Christian or a Catholic, for example. You can't be both.

[@swoosh1mil]

@@TedEhioghae Not sure if you were actually responding to my comment, but… All who are baptized in the Name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit are Christian. And yes, you can have sub-categories under that umbrella.

[@anamaria-zo5ym]

Thank God 🙏 thank you all that helped...thank you angels of God ❤

[@theresamulligan4038]

Dear Lord Jesus, pray for this terrible world🙏✝️✝️✝️✝️

[@angeleslopez5090]

Thank God❤ there is so much Christian prosecution, pray the rosary for protection, and to end this violence!

[@MsRocko99]

💯💯💯 📿 📿📿 🙏🙏🙏

[@user-qg7oy7sx4l]

Thank You LORD for Your protection 🙏

[@Oceangirl_505]

God bless all of the security people and parishioners!

[@claudeioannou5468]

Thank you God for saving life's 🙏🏼

[@melodyhart1331]

Abbyville is a small town in Louisiana, The evil is everywhere .Thank God this was stopped !

[@lisasagers1572]

The first mass murder in a church was a year after prayer was removed from schools. Something to ponder.

[@smvelvet46]

Thanks be to God.

[@everlastinglife5978]

Thank you to God for protecting us.

[@necoford4386]

The devil didnt stop,but Jesus Christ protected all Christians worldwide.,amen🙏✝️

[@rosalindquinones2791]

DEAR LORD TURN OUR HEARTS TOWARD YOU AGAIN FORGIVE US GIVE US YOUR WISDOM AND PROTECTION AND STRENGTH

[@victormeza7859]

🔥MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD 🩸 OF JESUS CHRIST, SAVE US AND THE WHOLE WORLD 🌎

[@turtlenality7017]

Praise be to God!! Thank Jesus ‼️✝️

[@TXgirl]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻and pray the Rosary

[@StepbyStepbyMiriam]

May God keep safe and holy this devout and brave congregation who kept the attacker away from the priests who remained on the alter. May He also protect His devout servant who genuflected before the tabernacle on his way to warn the priests, and all the alter servers who tried to genuflect while rushing to safety. Places of worship are holy places on earth.

[@glorianova7557]

Gracias Dios mio. ❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏💯

[@Jess-sr3jw]

All glory to GOD and protection of St. Michael

[@Jcr2446]

God bless us all

[@rhea1862]

God covered them with His Mantle.of Protection.

[@mallon201]

They prayed to Our Lady and She covered them with Her Mantle of protection. Repeatedly praying the Hail Mary or the Jesus prayer has a really good calming effect on people, it is a really useful tool to have to get you through times like those in that Church, the Priest knew that, it worked.

[@RyngKatBaDPhiTogetherwithYou]

such things never happen in all the Archdiocese Dioceses in Northeast India. What a terrific moment to see the news on the other channel. Praying for ... Exchanges of prayers.

[@francistito1688]

God Bless everyone and keep all protected and safe 🙏

[@Edith1517]

Angels of God protect all churches and places of worship. St.Michael be our defense and the Lord’s almighty protection cover his church in his blood.

[@joycemira247]

Praying for all and please take care guys

[@williambarron4755]

Satan will not win

[@gabrielleg8794]

Satan is a loser !

[@kristynageorgiew4252]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤🙏

[@steph4922]

This is disgraceful. Church now needs to have guards outside? Dear Lord, please protect us from the enemy.

[@geraldkor8307]

Times have come that we need to have security in our Churches.

[@Sorchia56]

Vile just vile. Most of us carry in our church. Our Priest laughed when I said ‘if someone tries to shoot up the church during Mass, he/she will be Holy in no time!’! We have a Security Council that has all of us who are active/retired LE, FEDs and military. We have a brilliant strategic plan in place along with a phenomenal security system that is monitored 24/7. My husband and our daughter carry as well. Our Parish is large for the small town it is in so word travelled quickly. You’d have to be wishing for death to come into our church with plans to harm anyone.

[@Denis.Collins]

Speak to a soldier. They will tell you that reacting in a split second to an armed assailant is next to impossible. Despite what you seem to think, you are far more likely to kill the innocent. I doubt you are aware what a bullet does to the human body. It goes straight through it. It then keeps going. What will will you say to the innocent who you maim or kill.

[@LauraBeeDannon]

​@@Denis.Collinsguns save more lives than they kill, weird.

[@brookside109]

I always sit in the back, bc I work on the weekends and as soon as the Priest walks down to leave I also leave, but I may think about moving further up. However, I put my trust in the Lord and if it’s my turn to leave this life, going out in the church is an honor to the Lord.

[@grandpahand7410]

We’ve had moral decay - point on.

[@lidiasoares5675]

Lord have Mercy and protect Your Houses of Worship. Help us to go back to Tradition and worship You with more Reverence. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen1

[@knownow486]

Thank you Jesus May Jesus one true church live forever

[@joshuacherian6718]

Quick thinking. God has saved☦️

[@davidsveneddy8400]

This kind of sacrilegious behavior has to stop. No one should be denied their right to worship in peace. I have become more aware of my surroundings when I’m at Mass. Sadly it takes my attention to the reason I’m there, to worship God in peace.

[@kathyjenkins635]

Father, remain prayerful when evil interrupts the Mass. It deserves little or NO attention away from Our Lord and Savior present in the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper, given to us at the Passover Feast 2000 years ago before the true LAMB of GOD was slain for our sins and Redemption was ours.

[@soleilbrilliant2113]

Brought tears to my eyes. Not even in church we are safe. 🙏 praying for 🕊️ peace in our troubled 🌎 world. Please God help us. Blessed mother please cover all your children under your holy mantle. Amen. 🙏 Hail Mary full of Grace the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray 🙏 for us sinners, now and at the bout of our death. 🙏 Thank God no one was hurt.

[@m.5748]

Yes, 🙏 Hail Mary's and Thanks be to Our Lord, Jesus, and the Power of St. Michael, to Protect our Priests, and our Holy Church & Mass! 🙏Amen.

[@katherinecairns03]

Time to have security at all Churches and lock doors once Mass starts

[@tnctakenotechannel8420]

Amen God will always protect his people if its not yet tour time🙏🙏🙏

[@bigdog1106]

2a is the low cost solution to this issue, as parishioners who are allowed to conceal carry are the best protectors.

[@user-uc3qs1gx2d]

St Michael protect us 🙏🏼 you know God is protecting his church I mean look at the Orthodox priest who was almost stabbed but the knife jammed .

[@fecalipayan6000]

Evil is everywhere

[@Jess-sr3jw]

We have true protection from the blessed mother who will always protect us and will always win the war, Mary is so powerful that she will always crush Satan, always stay close to GOD because he will never let you down but evil will..my choice is to stay on the winning team..GODS ❤

[@godfirst9845]

2nd amendment people. Exercise it!

[@carolinav6430]

🙏Prayers to all Just evil in such a young soul.

[@roncatton7101]

God bless and thanks to our good Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour, for protecting our Christian people at this place of worship. 🙏🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@samsonshaul3240]

Uvalde TX here’s is yet another example .

[@fbayoutube]

That's why in Indonesia on some of the feast days the police guards the Church.

[@georgiascott5779]

The road is narrow. 5:51

[@victormeza7859]

AUSTRALIA / BISHOP EMMANUEL ATTACKED BY KNIFE WHICH FAILED TO OPEN BUT MAN CUT 3 OF HIS FINGERS. BISHOP MAR FORGAVE HIM, LAYED HIS HAND HIIM, AND TOLD HIM THAT HE LOVES HIM. BISHOP SUFFERED DAMAGE TO HIS RIGHT EYE. ❤

[@larrylim3571]

Pro life, service, and communitarian culture versus pro choice, too much freedom, individualistic, and cussing is a non malicious expression, culture.

[@juliaibrahim9546]

We are in spiritual war. We need to pray so hard

[@user-fy7xq1rf5m]

The Holy Spirit and Guardian Angels saved the priest, alter boys, and congregants from certain disaster. God help us.

[@cathys.1284]

Priests actually have 2 Guardian Angels

[@MsRocko99]

💔💔💔

[@kimleverette31]

What a coward. Do the parishioners have to be armed now

[@MsRocko99]

🙏🙏🙏

[@teodorabalingit1506]

God loves us!

[@terryhorne2582]

As in Israel, the Lord protects his people 🙏. Amen.

[@Denis.Collins]

Who did he protect? It isn’t possible to give an accurate figure for the number who died.

[@prodigalpriest]

This attack on a place of worship is nothing new. The ungodly and misguided have always hated those who have faith in something greater than their own experience leads them to believe exists.

[@benjaminaranha9704]

I am writing this from India Yrs ago when some groups were vandalising Church premises I noticed 2 men enter our church and sit in the pews before me They had not genuflected and this made me suspicious So I did not take my eyes off them As they noticed me while looking around they hurriedly got up and went out So we people have to be alert even when around and inside the church these days

[@regw8815]

Churches need to lock doors after starting Masses.

[@martinusagustinus9078]

🙏Jesus, i trust You. 🙏Sator arepo tenet opera rotas

[@jhulia8953]

God is good

[@maryseelbach4878]

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@user-vy7tr4qr4w]

Protect your family please Lord everywhere..satan and his agents are on the move more and more..thank you Lord

[@talitakumi8679]

Who was the perpetrator? Not a moslem, by any chance?

[@kathleenyoung769]

Who is raising these children?

[@kathyr.8135]

We are in the End Days

[@katiechampagne4078]

The devil is attacking churches. In god we trust. Praetors for all

[@MaryLouCoursen]

⚓️💕

[@iamsamuelpaul]

You know what else happened in the 1960s? The sexual revolution.

[@davidrediger6407]

We are in the end times. Satan has become bolder and will use many tools to discourage faith and create fear.

[@phoenixma1213]

Who was the criminal who did this

[@homethatilove4595]

Will we ever hear about the "troubled teen" ?

[@Denis.Collins]

@@homethatilove4595our Lord and SaviourJesus Christ said “judge not lest ye be judged”

[@sagolito]

Matthew 10:28 ► Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

[@kunaikat2232]

Will the Vatican condemn terrorism and jihadism yet ?

[@therealgreg5653]

This goes beyond just Islam... anti christian and Jewish teachings are on the rise in the west. Well Islam, satanist, and homosexuals are empowered and protected by our governments they are all being taught more and more to do whatever it takes to destroy Christians and Jews alike

[@Denis.Collins]

We know nothing about this boy or his motivation. Apart from that what has any of this got to do with Jews?

[@kunaikat2232]

@@Denis.Collins ya why are there no details on the shooter? Also nobody mentioned Jews not sure what you’re on about. My assumption is that the shooter is a radicalized Islamic jihadist

[@jaclowho7958]

Of course not . Happened many times but no word from the Vatican on murdered Christines praying in churches. Wondered why?

[@Denis.Collins]

⁠@@kunaikat2232”my assumption is that it is the shooter (he didn’t shoot thank God) is a radicalised Islamist” Yes, that’s my point. It is your assumption based on nothing that was in this report.

[@suzicares2721]

How ridiculous to waste precious moments to stop & kneel before informing the pastor of the situation. I think God would be fine with skipping rituals. Then, the pastor hides? HE is supposed to be the shepherd! 🙄

[@lourdesmanibusan]

WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO,.....SHOW DISSAPLINE TO THE CHURCH ⛪ PEOPLE,.....BE STINGY WITH GOD'S TRUE WORDS OF WORTH IN HEAVEN,.....HEAVENFORBID WE OURSELVES BRING EVIL TO ENTER ANYTHING,.....I LOVE❤❤❤ YOU GOD,THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,AMEN,ALLELULIA,.....

[@susluke]

Yes it's always The True Church of Jesus Christ that gets targeted, just as Jesus Christ said in the Bible that you will be prosecuted for your faith in Jesus Christ. You barely see this in any other denominations that's because The Devil knows already that the other denominations aren't the True Church. Orthodox is an exception as Catholics do view their Mass to be valid with the EUCHARIST. Keep praying for protection daily with The Rosary. Pray inside your Churches after or before mass daily if possible. Godbless. 🙏🙏🙏

[@swoosh1mil]

I never thought it would come to this but it looks as though it is time for us Catholics to refer to the most sacred Book of Armaments: "And Saint Attila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying, 'O Lord, bless this thy hand grenade, that with it thou mayst blow thine enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy.'

[@user-mx5rg6ik4g]

Why are they running across the secred sanctuary. There is no respect regardless of whatever situation.

[@Denis.Collins]

Because they are scared.

[@TheYoungProdigal]

They are young men who are legitimately afraid. Give them a break.

[@user-mx5rg6ik4g]

@@TheYoungProdigal they were not thought well about their faith.