CUA Community Shows Support for El Paso Victims -

Students and faculty gathered at St. Vincent de Paul Chapel to support victims of the El Paso and Dayton tragedies. Courtesy of Angela Hickey

By Angela Hickey

In light of the recent tragedies in El Paso and Dayton, Catholic University has decided to show support by holding many different events here on campus. Some ways the community has shown support was a mass dedicated to the victims of El Paso and Dayton and a Civility Dialogue held by the Center for Cultural Engagement.

On August 3, 22 people were shot and killed in a Walmart in El Paso, Texas when an active gunman open fired on U.S. and Mexican citizens. Early on Sunday, August 4, a loose gunman killed 9 people and injured 27 on a crowded street in Dayton, Ohio. The entire ordeal lasted only 32 seconds, yet the damage is irreversible.

On Sunday, September 22, students, faculty, and members of the clergy gathered in the St. Vincent de Paul Chapel on Catholic U’s campus to show support to the victims of these tragedies and to anyone who has experienced anything similar. The masses were performed in both English and Spanish by Father Jude and special guest officiant, Father Jorge Alvarado.

Many tragedies, like the El Paso and Dayton shootings, have been occurring more frequently. 19 mass shootings have already occurred within the first three months of 2019, with 10 of those instances happening in May. As of September 3, 2019, the count has risen dramatically from 19 to 116 mass shootings. With 26 people injured and 20 deceased, all victims ranged from the ages of 2 to 82 years old.

In light of these tragic events, the Catholic University community gathered together to pray for a better future.

“Fear breaks us down as a society,” said Jude during his homily. “We need to reach out to one another in great love, mercy, and compassion.” He encouraged students to be more active in the community and to love and help one another.

Along with the masses, Catholic U invited the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the School of Theology and Religious Studies, Rozana Paalvast, to speak to students about her first-hand account of the Walmart shooting in El Paso. She was joined by Luis Cardona, a former gang member and government bureaucrat, who works with troubled youths in D.C.

Paalvast was in tears while recounting her experience in El Paso, but was more focused on the aftermath of the situation and the ways that God’s presence descended upon the community. Paalvast and Cardona both discussed their experiences with violence and how they responded to these acts. In reference to El Paso, Paalvast was able to tell how, instead of falling to panic, the community of El Paso rose above and became a united community against the hatred and fear.

Following her talk, Cardona spoke about how proud he is of his faith and discussed his work. Covering resources in the D.C. area, Cardona spoke about “That Man is You,” his local church group that gathers to discuss current issues in the community, and what ways they can impact the community by discussing cycles of violence.

“What we can do is model something that can give someone, like a child, a lesson in how to deal with things,” Cardona said. “All of us, through our own perfection, can hurt each other sometimes, through our words, through our actions, through our deeds, and teaching our children how to deal with that is so important.”

Cardona also explained the importance of intentionality creating safe spaces for communities.

“We need to be intentional about providing spaces for us to heal as a society and that’s what the church is supposed to be doing, but we also share that responsibility,” Cardona said.

Once the floor was open to discussion, one student in attendance asked whether or not they could see the beauty in the El Paso shooter. In response, Paalvast connected the question to her story of one elderly woman who prayed for the shooter, hoping for him to find healing. Paalvast thought she was a great example as to what we should be doing as well.

Both Paalvast and Cardona encourage the youth to act and to speak out against injustices they see and what they believe in. The two speakers say that now, more than ever, working together and creating an open dialogue should be of the most importance to students.