Episode Description

Pastoral Letter Following the Murder of Alex Jeffrey Pretti

January 25, 2026

Dear Beloved in Christ,

It is with broken hearts that we write to you once again. Just weeks after

we shared our sorrow over the fatal shooting of Renée Nicole Good on

January 7, 2026, by a Federal ICE (Immigration and Customs

Enforcement) Agent. We are compelled to mourn another tragic loss —

the killing of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and devoted

caregiver, who was shot and killed by a Federal Border Patrol Agent in

Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 24, 2026. Both incidents reveal the

lawlessness and brutality that has characterized the behavior of federal

agents over the past year.

Our hearts ache not only for the families of Renée and Alex, but for the

wounds inflicted upon our communities when those entrusted with

safeguarding life instead take it. We remember Alex as one who dedicated

his life to healing the sick, caring for veterans, and uplifting those in need.

At the time of his death, bystander accounts affirm that he was acting to

protect the safety and dignity of others when he was confronted and

fatally shot by federal agents.

As followers of Christ, we are reminded of the eternal wisdom of our

Lord Jesus Christ, who taught us plainly: “So whatever you wish that

others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the law and the

prophets.” (Matthew 7:12). In these words, Christ calls us to treat every

human being with dignity, mercy, and compassion — especially in times

of conflict and fear.

The prophet Micah also guides our hearts and our actions: “He has told

you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

(Micah 6:8). These sacred words challenge us to seek justice for the

oppressed, to embody mercy in our relationships with one another, and to

draw near to God in humility and truth.

Catholic Social Teaching calls us to seek the dignity and good of every

person, which includes protection of fundamental human rights by public

authorities. The ongoing aggression and hostility of Immigration and

Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol Agents — including the

aggression and hostility that resulted in the deaths of Renée Good and

Alex Pretti — must come to an end. Such acts of force and violence are

not compatible with the vision of human dignity and respect that God

calls us to uphold.

We therefore call upon our elected officials and all in positions of power

at the federal level to urgently re-examine policies and practices that place

lives at risk and to pursue reforms that protect human life, promote trust,

and ensure peace within our communities.

We call on the United States Congress, especially the US Senate, whose

choice to advance the funding bill lies before them this week, to suspend

all funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

In this time of grief and reflection, we invite all who are able to join in a

spirit of mourning, prayer, and discernment at the National Faith Call to

Action event this evening. This gathering offers us the opportunity not

only to mourn together, but to seek the Lord’s guidance on how we might

respond with courage, mercy, and faithful action. Information to join is

available at bit.ly/nationalfaithcalltoaction.

We call upon all the faithful for Christian witness. Our hearts ache not

only for Renee and Alex, but for communities and lives that have been

shattered by the current administration's violence. Let us pray for an end

to violence in all its forms, for the consolation of grieving hearts, and for

the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we seek to be instruments of justice and

peace in our broken world.

May the peace of Christ — the Prince of Peace — dwell richly in our

hearts.

In Christ our Savior,

The College of Bishops, Catholic Apostolic Church in North America

Pastoral Letter from the CACINA College of Bishops on the Murder of Renee Nicole Good

January 10, 2026

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

At the Jordan River, as Jesus entered the waters of baptism, Matthew tells us

that the heavens opened and a voice declared: “This is my beloved Son, with

whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17). In this moment, God affirmed not

only Jesus’s identity but also the divine truth that every human life is precious,

beloved, and made in the image of the Creator (cf. Genesis 1:27). Baptism

reveals a God who stands with humanity—especially with those who suffer,

those who are overlooked, and those who bear the weight of injustice.

It is from this place of faith and conviction that we, the College of Bishops of

The Catholic Apostolic Church in North America, write to you with grief,

compassion, and righteous anger.

Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-

year-old mother, poet, and beloved member of her community who was shot

by an ICE agent during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis. We lament

her death and the many wounds that follow: wounds to her children, to her

family, to her friends, and to all who must watch the traumatic images of her

final moments circulate across our screens and public discourse.

We assure Renee’s children and family of our prayers and our solidarity. We

mourn alongside them. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, the psalmist

tells us, “and saves those crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18). Our Church

carries their sorrow in its own heart.

The killing of Renee Nicole Good unfolds within a broader context that we

must not ignore. We live in a time when national rhetoric, immigration policy,

and political strategy have inflamed hostility, normalized fear, and justified

acts of aggression against the most vulnerable. Forces at the highest levels of

our federal government—both past and present—continue to exploit division

as a tool of power. As shepherds of the Church, we cannot remain silent when

such forces threaten the dignity God has bestowed upon every person.

The Gospel compels us to name injustice when it is before us. The prophets

cried out in times of violence; Jesus wept over the city; the early Church

proclaimed good news to the poor, release to the captive, and liberty to the

oppressed (cf. Luke 4:18). There is, therefore, a place for righteous anger—

not anger born of hatred or vengeance, but anger rooted in love for the

vulnerable and in fidelity to the God of justice. Such anger refuses to treat

human beings as expendable or disposable. It refuses to accept violence

against the marginalized as the cost of national order.

Yet our anger must always be accompanied by compassion. The One who

overturned the tables in the Temple is the same One who forgave his

persecutors from the cross. The Gospel calls us to a justice that does not

dehumanize even those with whom we vehemently disagree. While we

advocate for transparency, accountability, and reform within our civil

structures, we must also uphold the dignity of all persons—including those

whose actions we condemn.

As your bishops, we call upon the faithful of our Church to respond to this

moment with the fullness of Christian discipleship:

1. To pray without ceasing—for Renee Nicole Good’s family, for her

children, and for all who mourn;

2. To stand boldly for justice, including due process of law—so that no

person is treated as less than beloved in the eyes of God;

3. To embody compassion in our communities—offering welcome,

advocacy, and accompaniment to those who live in fear;

4. To resist every form of dehumanization—whether in speech, policy, or

practice;

5. To labor for peace—the peace that rests not on force, but on

reconciliation and human dignity.

We conclude with the words of St. Paul, who reminded the Church in

Corinth that “If one member suffers, all suffer together.” (1 Corinthians

12:26). May we, as the Body of Christ, suffer together with Renee’s family,

advocate together for justice, and hope together for a world where every

person—immigrant and citizen, neighbor and stranger—is treated as beloved

in the sight of God.

May the Holy Spirit, who descended upon Jesus at the Jordan, bestow upon

us courage for the work of justice, tenderness for the work of healing, and

steadfastness for the work of peace.

In Christ’s abiding love,

The College of Bishops

The Catholic Apostolic Church in North Americ