HAUGEN -- The deaths of six people and the injuring of two in the shootings near Birchwood deeply saddened the small, close-knit communities in the surrounding area. To pray for the dead and support the families of the victims, a prayer service was held at Holy Trinity Church in Haugen Nov. 23. The service was conducted by Deacon Harvey G. Drost.

At the beginning of the service, Drost commented on the large number of people who had turned out. He said that when he and Fr. David Oberts, pastor of the Haugen, Dobie and Birchwood cluster of parishes, had discussed having a prayer service, neither knew what to expect. "Since we are all believers in God, this is the best we can do in mid-week."

He said the service was to pray for the fallen and was also for the participants to pray for themselves. He said the group would pray to God, Mary, the saints, "everybody we can think of" to get through this tragedy.

Following an opening prayer and Scripture readings, Drost related a conversation he had with a friend earlier, in which they discussed the magnitude of the tragedy. Drost said about 3,000 people were killed in the World Trade Center attacks. That amounts to one-third of one percent of a population of eight or nine million in the New York area. On a percentage basis, he said, "we have three times that many people (killed) in the village of Haugen."

Drost added that after all of the explanations, the bottom line is that the killings were due to a tragic misunderstanding.

Alluding to the allegations that racial discrimination played a part in the shootings, Drost talked about the Gospel stories of Jesus talking to Samaritans, tax collectors, lepers, prostitutes -- all people the Jews did not like. Drost said, "He set a very great example for us. We cannot be mad at a whole group of people because of something that happened in a brain warp, if that's what you want to call it."

Drost led prayers for the fallen and asked for God's mercy for them and for all of the participants in the prayer service. He added that as neighbors of all the victims, "we won't forget them. We'll pray for them, we'll pray for ourselves and we will continue living."

Drost read the names of the dead and said: "Each of these people has their own story. Each one is a tragedy in itself."

During two minutes of silence, included so each person could pray in his or her own way, Drost said he started out with his mind "busy." Then it went to the story of Jesus, at the age of 12, staying at the Temple to be about his father's work. Drost said that came as a reminder, a lesson that "from this day forward we're supposed to be about our Father's business."

At the conclusion of the service, a family member of one of those killed came forward and thanked the community for its support and out-reach. He also talked briefly about the spirit and camaraderie that existed among the group of hunters at the deer camp.

After a few minutes of silence, the family members in attendance walked back down the aisle and out of the church.

< Local Archives

© Superior Catholic Herald, 2004