BROWNSVILLE – A Matamoros priest was killed inside his church Thursday evening.

The church is dressed in mourning after violence broke the sanctity within their walls.

Communities of faith on the U. S. side of the border are similarly braced for violence, though it looks manifests differently in this country.

The attack against a priest at Cristo Rey de Paz Church, Father José Martín Guzman Vega, appeared to be a targeted killing.

He was killed Thursday night at his church in located in Ejido Santa Adelaida, a few miles west of Matamoros, Tamaulipas.

Across from Matamoros in Brownsville, Fr. Michael Amesse of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral learned of the tragic events he called “terrible.”

In these trying times, he emphasizes the importance of faith.

“We have to cling to our hope that God always makes good come out of evil,” he says.

The church in the U.S. is similarly touched by tragedy, though the shootings in many occasions have no specific target.

Measures and trainings are now part of religious organizations.

Fr. Amesse explained, “The doors we used to keep locked all the time where we would keep our vessels, well those are open now.  People know that they're open should anybody come in and start shooting, they would have an escape way.”

They also have people specifically working a security detail during services.

Amesse regrettably adds, “We're doing that when we never had to do that before.”

No one wants to think of violence breaking at a place of worship, like what happened in Matamoros.

The church is forced to plan and think ahead so its members can focus on their worship.

“In the bad times of our lives that always come and make no sense at all, we really have hope that God will make something good come out of this,” stressed Amesse.

The church in Matamoros is taped up as an investigation is underway.

Doors at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral continue open offering those weary and worried an opportunity for relief.