Gregory Parkes, Bishop of St. Petersburg, condemned the shooting that took place in Buffalo on Saturday and offered prayers for the victims.

“Our prayers go out to the victims and families of the shooting in Buffalo today,” he said on Facebook. “Racial hate and murder have no place in society. It is sinful and criminal.” 

Those words could apply to Sunday’s shooting in Laguna Woods, Calif., as well.

Saturday’s shooting, which left 10 people dead, has been attributed to an 18-year-old man who traveled more than three hours to a supermarket in a predominantly black neighborhood in Buffalo. Upon arrival, he allegedly shot four people in the parking lot, then entered the store and reportedly shot nine more people, an ABC News report said. Authorities believe that the shooting was racially motivated. The suspect is being held without bail.

That incident was followed by Sunday’s violence, which involved a man locking people in a room at a Laguna Woods, Calif., church that serves mostly Taiwanese members and then opening fire on them. The suspect was arraigned Tuesday on one charge of murder and several charges of attempted murder, a Tuesday New York Post release said. 

The California incident was said to also be related to race. 

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) noted that the Church firmly opposes racism. 

In 2018 the bishops wrote a pastoral letter called “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love.” It discussed the Church's opposition to racism, a problem it described as a "particularly destructive and persistent form of evil."

“The salvation which God has wrought, and the Church joyfully proclaims, is for everyone,” Pope Francis said, quoted in the letter. “God has found a way to unite himself to every human being in every age.”

In response to the recent shootings, the USCCB issued a release: “The U.S. bishops join with others throughout the country in offering prayers for the support and healing of the families, friends, and communities of those impacted by these violent incidents. We pray especially for those who were injured and particularly for those who lost their lives.”