Catholic church leaders in northern Illinois have asked schools in their dioceses to review security policies as they pray for those affected by a shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis on Wednesday that killed two children and injured more than a dozen.

Rockford Bishop David Malloy said in a statement he offered his “deepest prayers and sympathy, asking God’s comfort and healing to all those affected by the horrendous act of violence at Annunciation Catholic School in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.”

Malloy also said the shooting was “not just a tragedy for the school, families, faculty and staff there. It is also a tragedy for all people and yet another senseless assault on the sense of security and the dignity of human life, especially our innocent children. We pray not just for an end to such evil acts, but for solutions to their causes.”

The Rockford Diocese covers much of northern and northwestern Illinois, stretching from Kane and McHenry counties in the east to the Mississippi River in the west, including Boone, DeKalb, Winnebago, Ogle, Carroll, Whiteside, Stephenson and Jo Daviess counties. There are 37 Catholic schools in the diocese, according to its website.

Kim White, the superintendent of schools for the diocese, said she asked school principals on Wednesday to reverify secured entrances and visitor protocols and review crisis response and reunification procedures with school staff.

“Like everyone, we are heartbroken by the tragedy in Minneapolis and we are keeping the Annunciation School community in our prayers,” White said.

White said the diocese “sets baseline safety expectations” for Catholic schools, including a written crisis response and reunification plan, visitor management and building security protocols, employee safety training and state-mandated drills with first responders.

Other dioceses in Illinois also are reviewing school safety.

The Diocese of Joliet is home to 50 Catholic schools in Will, DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee and Kendall counties.

“The Diocese of Joliet is deeply saddened to learn of this morning’s shooting during school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis,” the Diocese said in an announcement Wednesday evening. “Our condolences go out to the families of the students who were killed or injured and their school and parish community.”

As the diocese noted in its statement, “it is unusual for something like this to take place at a Catholic church and school.”

While there have been more than 500 school shootings in the U.S. since the year 2000, only three had taken place at Catholic schools. All three events resulted in two casualties total, and none of the events qualified as a mass shooting.

As a result of this low incident rate, many Catholic schools do not have the same safety protocols in place that their public school counterparts have.

“Catholic schools are usually smaller, tight-knit communities where faculty, staff, students and parents know and support one another,” the Diocese noted.

“The school safety protocols at the Diocese of Joliet are designed to minimize risk, and we continuously look for opportunities to strengthen them,” according to the statement. “We train and prepare principals, students and staff for these types of situations because we are not immune to violence.”

In Rockford, officials said their schools have the same safety standards as public schools.

White said schools in her diocese adapt the diocesan standards to fit their building, property and community, and school leaders work with local police fire and emergency officials to further tailor plans. Schools also have the same safety standards as public schools, White said.

“All Catholic schools in the Diocese of Rockford voluntarily participate in the Illinois State Board of Education Recognition process, which requires compliance with the same rigorous safety standards as Illinois public schools,” White said.

With the school year having just started in Joliet, the diocese said that a meeting of school principals from the diocese was already scheduled for Thursday, and that the issue of safety would be added to the day’s discussions.

“During the meeting, the Catholic Schools Office will review and discuss the latest diocesan safety and emergency preparedness protocols to ensure everyone is up to date,” according to the statement. “The safety of everyone in our school communities at the diocese is a top priority. Ongoing training at the diocesan and county level help strengthen crisis management and emergency response in our Diocesan schools, enhancing our efforts to remain safe, faith-filled learning spaces. Preparedness and prevention help keep everyone safe.”

Patricia Strang, principal of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Sycamore, part of the Rockford Diocese parish, said everyone at her school had felt the tragedy that happened in Minnesota. The Sycamore school sent the Bishop’s news release to families on Thursday. She declined to share specific details of the school’s security apparatus, but emphasized that security and emergency plans are in place.

“All the schools in Illinois, they review their plans every year,” Strang said. “I know I personally do talk to the first responders to see if there’s any new protocols. … coordination with local first responders is very important.”

The shooting happened while students at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis were at Mass on Wednesday morning. Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara said the shooter went up to the side of the church and shot through the windows at the children inside, according to the Associated Press.

Authorities said the two children killed were ages 10 and 8, and 14 of the 17 injured were children. Three parishioners in their 80s were injured, according to the AP. Most of the injured are expected to survive.