My heart sank when I learned that an aircraft crashed at Cottman Avenue and the Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia tonight. This shocking tragedy comes with great loss, pain, and anxiety for the families of the crew and passengers as well as neighborhood residents and business owners whose evening was shattered with sudden violence. We pray fervently that God will bring comfort and healing in this time of anguish.

May our Blessed Mother wrap her protective mantle around the first responders working tirelessly to assist the injured, extinguish fires, and safeguard the community. Our emergency personnel put themselves at great risk to serve us each day and they deserve our unending thanks.

Let us all unite in prayer and do what we can in the days ahead to share the compassionate love of Christ with those suffering as a result of tonight’s crash.