HEALING A CHURCH

Archbishop Michael Sheehan, in a poignant and healing ritual held Wednesday evening, let incense waft and sprinkled holy water on areas desecrated at St. Jude Thaddeus Church on the West Side.

“And now a prayer of rededication to good things, and to the Lord,” Sheehan said.

The reconsecration of the church near Paradise and Unser NW took place as required by church law, according to the Archdiocese, because of the desecration that happened there Sunday, when several people were stabbed during services. Lawrence Capener has been arrested in the incident.

The church was nearly full Wednesday with about 400 people there for a confirmation service for children of the diocese.

JIM THOMPSON/JOURNAL Archbishop Michael Sheehan, along with Father John Daniel, uses incense as he reconsecrates St. Jude Thaddeus Church on Wednesday evening. The church was the site of a stabbing attack Sunday.

Archbishop Michael Sheehan enters St. Jude Thaddeus Church on Wednesday evening. Sheehan largely avoided referring to Sunday’s stabbing incident, focusing instead on speaking to the children and reading letters from them about why they wanted to be...