School shooting survivor takes on mission to spread Jesus and healing to Annunciation's young population
In the heart of Minneapolis, Ellie Mertens found herself in the midst of an unimaginable tragedy on August 27, when a shooting broke out at Annunciation church. Amid the chaos, Mertens, a youth minister at the church, dropped to the ground and crawled under a pew for safety.
Mertens, a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota, has a deep connection with Annunciation. She attended St. Wenceslaus Catholic School and New Prague High School before finding her calling as a youth minister. Her journey to this role was not straightforward. During her college years, Mertens struggled with serious issues and drifted away from her faith. However, her faith was renewed during her freshman year when she met missionaries from St. Paul's Outreach.
The shooting on August 27 claimed the lives of two students and left three adults in their 80s wounded, along with eighteen students between the ages of 6 and 15. More than 100 rounds were fired during the incident. The shooting began near the row of windows on the east side of the church.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Mertens went to the school's gym where traumatized students and parents waited. It was there that she felt a resolve to reclaim the Annunciation church and school communities, echoing the sentiment of Father Dennis Zehren, her principal, and Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda.
Mertens has made words from a verse in the Old Testament book of Esther her own, as a call to help others find hope amid tragedy. She plans to show up and tell kids about Jesus Christ, emphasising the hope and peace he can provide. In her ministry, Mertens works with about 500 to 600 students in grades seven through 12.
Before joining Annunciation, Mertens was invited to do volunteer youth ministry and was later hired as a youth minister. Richfield Young Life, which previously supported youth ministry at Annunciation Catholic School, is now known as Crosstown Young Life, a Christian youth organization focused on ministry and support for young people.
Despite the physical scar on her elbow from a car accident at age 17, Mertens was unscathed during the shooting, save for a cut on the same elbow from a piece of glass from the broken window. Mertens believes God wants her to help lead others to healing after the tragedy.
As the Annunciation church and school community begins the long road to recovery, Mertens' faith and resolve stand as a beacon of hope for all those affected by the tragedy.
