Diocese of El Paso hands out rosaries from the Pope at prayer vigil to mark 6-months since mass shooting

EL PASO, Texas -- The Catholic Diocese of El Paso held a prayer vigil on Thursday evening, six months after the Aug. 3 mass shooting.

The mass in honor of the shooting victims took place at the Catholic Pastoral Center, located at 499 St. Matthew Street. Families who were affected, as well as those injured in the shooting, received a rosary directly from Pope Francis, handed out by Bishop Mark Seitz.

"It's still a pretty fresh wound for a lot of people and we want to make sure that we're praying for those people," said Fernando Ceniceros, a spokesman for the diocese. "The Pope really wanted to make sure that his voice is present here for the Diocese of El Paso."

The rosaries were gifted during Seitz's recent trip to Rome. The bishop had asked the Pope for a blessing for the 22 families grieving and the Pope provided him with 50 rosaries.

"Pope Francis did this as a sense of 'Here are the rosaries that are blessed by me, as a sign and a signal that the Vatican and the church and Bishop Seitz are with you during this tragedy," Ceniceros said.

To receive a rosary, if you were unable to attend the mass, contact the Office of the Bishop at 915-872-8419.