Following another school shooting Feb. 14, Bishop Richard J. Malone offered his reflection on Twitter. (WNYC File Photo)

Following the 18th United States school shooting of 2018 that killed at least 17 people at a Parkland, Fla., high school Feb. 14, Bishop Richard J. Malone called for prayers and action to stop the ongoing "culture of death."

"Prayers (and) deep sympathy to everyone experiencing profound grief, loss (and) anger at the South Florida killings," Bishop Malone tweeted later that night. "Pope St. John Paul II warned 25 years ago that Western society is becoming more (and) more a 'culture of death.' Sadly, he was right. Can we join together and reverse this?"

Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, also called for prayer and healing.

"We are deeply saddened by the shootings in Broward County, Florida, and by the needless and tragic loss of life," Cardinal DiNardo said in a statement. "May the mercy of God comfort the grieving families and sustain the wounded in their healing. Catholics and many other Christians have begun the journey of Lent today. I encourage us to unite our prayers and sacrifices for the healing and consolation of all those who have been affected by violence in these last weeks and for a conversion of heart, that our communities and nation will be marked by peace. I pray also for unity in seeking to build toward a society with fewer tragedies caused by senseless gun violence. Our hope is in the Lord, as he promised after his resurrection, 'Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.' (Mt. 28:20)."