Photo ~ A Catholic Sister comforts an unnamed parent.

Catholic priests respond quickly to Conn. school shooting

Bridgeport, Conn., Dec 14, 2012 / 12:04 pm (CatholicNewsAgency).- Several priests of the Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport responded quickly to the mass murder of adults and schoolchildren at a Newtown, Conn. elementary school, rushing to the scene to comfort victims and their relatives.

“Within minutes (of the shooting) the pastor, Msgr. Bob Weiss, was at the scene of the tragedy working with families,” he said.

“He quickly alerted other priests from the parish who joined him. As this unfolded, and the significance of it became apparent, we also alerted all our clergy in the upper Danbury area.”

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary on the morning of Dec. 14 left at least 27 people dead, including 18 children.

“Our chaplains in the hospitals are meeting with people. Our priests are on the ground doing everything they can to deal with grieving families and with people who have good news but are totally traumatized by what has occurred” said Brian Wallace, the diocese’s director of communications.

Newtown is a small town of only 27,000 people.