The Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence sits a mile-and-a-half directly north of our office—on the same street right along the Susquehanna River. It’s a lovely location with beautiful grounds. But as you likely know from news reports, the mansion was invaded and set ablaze in the early hours of Sunday morning as the Governor and his family slept. It was just hours after they had celebrated a Seder dinner to commemorate the Passover.
Thankfully, the fire was in a part of the building separate from the sleeping quarters, and State Police safely evacuated Gov. Shapiro, his wife Lori, and their four children (aged 13 to 22). Sadly, the fire did extensive damage to a portion of the Mansion before it was extinguished by Harrisburg firefighters.
As I look at pictures of the fire damage, I’m reminded of my visits to the Governor’s Residence – once in the mid-1990s to meet with then-Gov. Tom Ridge on advancing school choice opportunities in Pennsylvania, then later at a public open house hosted by Gov. and Mrs. Tom Corbett. That tour featured viewing some of the historical artifacts and Pennsylvania memorabilia in the “Piano Room” – the very same place that sadly suffered the most damage in Sunday morning’s fire. It’s one thing to read about attacks and violence occurring elsewhere; it’s quite another when it’s right up the street at a place I’ve been.
I was also reminded of the Mother’s Day 2022 firebombing of our sister organization, Wisconsin Family Action, at their Madison headquarters. That event, though hundreds of miles away, strikes close to home for me for obvious reasons. The motive of that attack—a hatred of their advocacy against abortion and in support of the sanctity of life—was made clear by a graffiti message spray-painted on the outside of their building. But it was nearly a year before a suspect was arrested and later convicted for that act of violence.
In a press conference Sunday afternoon, a visibly shaken Gov. Shapiro decried the use of violence— no matter the motive— whether emanating from the left or right, or religious hatred, or whatever. I agree. The rise in politically and religiously motivated violence is a deeply troubling and terribly sad trend in our nation, and I pray for repentance and that God will heal our land. And as the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, we should consistently pray for those in authority… and that includes our governor and all elected officials. We covet your prayers as well. And to quote the words of Jesus, whose death, burial, and resurrection we commemorate this Holy Week, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”
