The apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Vancouver offered prayers after 11 people were killed at a Filipino festival on Saturday, April 26.
“I was deeply saddened to hear of the tragic events that took place yesterday during the Lapu-Lapu Day celebration in Vancouver,” said Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, in a statement published on the Archdiocese of Vancouver’s website.
Miller is the apostolic administrator and archbishop emeritus of Vancouver. He retired on February 25, 2025.
The celebration, said Archbishop Miller, “should have been a joyful gathering to honor Filipino heritage” and “has been overshadowed by sorrow and shock.”
“The Filipino community is a vibrant and faith-filled part of our Archdiocese. In moments like this, your spirit of hope, resilience, and deep trust in God’s providence shines even amid darkness,” said Miller.
He continued, “I encourage all of us to come together in prayer, asking the Lord to pour out his mercy upon those affected and to grant strength to all who are carrying heavy hearts. May our Blessed Mother intercede for us, bringing comfort and healing to Vancouver.”
Charges filed
On Saturday night, Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, intentionally drove his car into the crowd at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival, killing 11 and injuring dozens, some seriously. On Sunday, he was charged with eight counts of second-degree murder.
The car attack is the deadliest attack in Vancouver’s history, and along with the 2018 van attack in Toronto, which also killed 11, is the deadliest vehicle-ramming incident in Canadian history.
The identities of those killed are still being released, but were described by the Vancouver police as being a group of “mixed genders, male, female and young people” aged 5 to 65 years old.
Police said they do not believe the car attack was an act of terrorism and that Lo had been known to the police for mental health issues. He did not have a criminal record.
