By Eileen Symmons
The students, administration and faculty, along with Pastor Fr. Bob Romeo, gathered together in St. Mary’s Church for a prayer service to honor the lives of the 17 innocent students and teachers who were murdered at Marjory Stoneham Douglas High School in Florida in February. During the service, students memorialized each person by reading their name followed by a moment of reverent silence and recitation of the Hail Mary. Together, we prayed for their souls and all the souls of victims of violence, as well as for the families who are left behind to grieve such a tremendous loss.
President of The Schools of Saint Mary, Dr. Joseph R. McCleary, stated, “This is St. Mary’s way of offering a constructive response in light of the increasingly politicized national debate. All people of good will are free to exercise a legitimate diversity of opinion in regard to how best to advance political solutions to the most pressing problems of our society. A rigid conformity in this regard is neither desirable nor healthy. As Catholics, however, we are united in affirming the Communion of the Saints and the efficacy of praying for both the living and the dead. It is also one of the Spiritual Works of Mercy to pray in this manner.”
