Bishop David Walkowiak, of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, offered prayers on Monday for those affected by violent tragedies over the weekend and called on Catholics to work toward ending racism.

“Once again, this weekend, we have witnessed the senseless loss of innocent life in multiple shootings across the country,” the bishop said in a Facebook post. “Please join me in praying for all of the families and communities impacted by these tragedies.” 

The comments came in response to two mass shootings, one in Buffalo, N.Y., that left 10 people dead; and one in California that killed one person and left several others injured.

The weekend of violence started on Saturday, when an 18-year-old man is said to have traveled more than three hours to a supermarket in a predominantly black neighborhood of Buffalo, where he shot four people in the parking lot, an ABC News report said. After that, he continued into the store and shot nine more people. Ten of those who were shot died. The suspect is being held without bail. 

On Sunday, a man in Laguna Woods, Calif., terrorized many at a church that serves mainly Taiwanese people. The suspect allegedly shot several individuals, one of whom died. He was arraigned on a charge of murder and other offenses on Tuesday, the New York Post reported. 

Both crimes are thought to have been driven by racism. 

The Catholic Church has long stood against racism, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said. 

The USCCB penned a pastoral letter in 2018 under the title “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love.” In it, the bishops underscored the Church's opposition to racism, calling it a "particularly destructive and persistent form of evil." 

“The salvation which God has wrought, and the Church joyfully proclaims, is for everyone,” Pope Francis said, quoted in the pastoral letter. “God has found a way to unite himself to every human being in every age.”

In response to the recent shootings, the USCCB issued a release: “The U.S. bishops join with others throughout the country in offering prayers for the support and healing of the families, friends, and communities of those impacted by these violent incidents. We pray especially for those who were injured and particularly for those who lost their lives.” 

“Acts and attitudes of racism are sinful and they reveal a failure, a failure to acknowledge the value and dignity of the members of our human family; failure to see in each one of our neighbors the brother or sister that Christ calls us to love and serve,” Walkowiak said in the Facebook post. “The Church has a tremendous responsibility to encourage dialogue and heal tensions associated with the racism in our communities, our nation, and our world. I ask the Catholic community in West Michigan to join me in prayer and in working toward a society where we recognize each other as a child of God in word and action. May the risen Christ strengthen us in this mission and sustain us in hope.”