El Paso Bishop Calls for Holy Hour for Peace

Catholic leaders urge prayer and compassion amid social tensions and violence

Feb. 1, 2026 at 1:55pm

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El Paso Catholic Bishop Mark Seitz has called for a Holy Hour for Peace at St. Patrick Cathedral as part of a national response in prayer "during this time of heightened fear, division, and concern for human dignity." The service is part of an invitation from Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who has encouraged bishops and priests across the country to step forward against indifference and injustice.

Why it matters

The recent killings of two people by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis and the death of a detained man in Texas are cited as tragic examples of the violence and lack of respect for human dignity that the Catholic Church seeks to address through this call to prayer and reflection.

The details

The Holy Hour for Peace will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1, at St. Patrick Cathedral, offering the faithful a time and space for prayer for the good of the nation, healing, renewal and reconciliation. Archbishop Coakley urged Catholics to respond to social tensions not with anger or despair, but with prayer, compassion, and hope rooted in Christ.

  • The Holy Hour for Peace will take place on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 6 p.m.

The players

Bishop Mark Seitz

The Catholic Bishop of El Paso who has called for the Holy Hour for Peace at St. Patrick Cathedral.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley

The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops who has encouraged bishops and priests across the country to hold similar services in response to social tensions and lack of respect for human dignity.

Gerardo Lunas Campos

A Cuban immigrant who died in what an autopsy report deemed a homicide at the largest ICE detention center in the nation, Camp East Montana in El Paso.

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What they’re saying

“Your faithfulness matters. Your prayers matter. Your acts of love and works of justice matter.”

— Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, President, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

“The recent killing of two people by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis and that of a detained man in Texas, are just a few of the tragic examples of the violence that represent failures in our society to respect the dignity of every human life.”

— Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, President, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

“We mourn this loss of life and deplore the indifference and injustice it represents. The current climate of fear and polarization, which thrives when human dignity is disregarded, does not meet the standard set by Christ in the Gospel.”

— Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, President, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

What’s next

The Holy Hour for Peace service at St. Patrick Cathedral in El Paso will take place on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 6 p.m.

The takeaway

This call to prayer by Catholic leaders reflects a desire to respond to social tensions and violence not with anger or despair, but with compassion, hope, and a renewed commitment to respecting the dignity of every human life, in line with the teachings of Christ.