Days of Sadness

January 27th, 2014 Posted in writing

This past week was a tough one at the high school where I work. On Tuesday a 2010 grad, Andrew Bolt, was murdered at Purdue by a fellow student. The next morning a sophomore at our school who had been suffering from cancer for the last year and a half died from his illness. Students, faculty, and staff were affected deeply by both deaths and there were many tears, hugs, and time spent in the school chapel.

I feel very lucky to be at a place where we could find strength not only in each other but also where we all could come together in prayer at Mass, as we did on Thursday morning. We didn’t use the liturgy to hide from what had happened or to provide explanations that would have been artificial and forced. Instead, we found comfort being together, and God was invited into into our grieving, thus opening a door to some consolation even if understanding was far away.

This coming week will be the two funerals in Drew’s and Greg’s respective home parishes. I’d like to respectfully ask you to pray for the two young men who lost their lives and for their parents, brothers, sisters, other family members and friends. Thank you.

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  2. By Rebecca Gill on Jan 27, 2014

    Thank you, Father, for sharing this insight. My husband coaches the MUHS Trap Team. This weekend was spent indoors cleaning guns and reinforcing safety measures. As the boys entered the facility, each and every one of them hugged each other with the “bro hug” that is so common among the MUHS community. But, the “bro hug” was held onto just a little longer, and soft whispers were exchanged before letting go. To be witness to such love and caring among our young men is a privilege my husband holds dear.

    Our own son, Payton ’13, offered his condolences to his brothers and their families from afar while at college, and spent the weekend in reflection and prayer.

    We are very lucky indeed to be a part of this MUHS community that fosters such love among its members. Our world may have been shocked this past week, but, the solid foundation of its community offers that comfort we all so need at times such as these. God is most definitely the rock on which we lean, and is the consolation our hearts desire.

    Our prayers and thoughts are with the Boldt and Von Rueden families at this time.

    Bryan and Rebecca Gill

  3. By Frank Crivello on Jan 27, 2014

    Fr Majka,

    I was discussing this last week with some fellow alumni. While we weren’t there at the school physically, we observed everything that took place, we prayed for the families and those close to Drew and Greg. I for one, am proud of my alma mater and the sense of community and values it brings in all stages of our lives.

    Frank Crivello ’93.

  4. By Mike Martin on Feb 3, 2014

    Five years ago, we at Virginia Tech lost 32 lives and our innocence. April 16, 2007 will be with us for all of our lives. Professor Nikki Giovanni put our feelings into words. I hope that this message will provide you and the ones you love with comfort.

    Transcript of Nikki Giovanni’s Convocation address
    Delivered April 17, 2007

    We are Virginia Tech.
    We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on, we are embracing our mourning.
    We are Virginia Tech.
    We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly, we are brave enough to bend to cry, and we are sad enough to know that we must laugh again.
    We are Virginia Tech.
    We do not understand this tragedy. We know we did nothing to deserve it, but neither does a child in Africa dying of AIDS, neither do the invisible children walking the night away to avoid being captured by the rogue army, neither does the baby elephant watching his community being devastated for ivory, neither does the Mexican child looking for fresh water, neither does the Appalachian infant killed in the middle of the night in his crib in the home his father built with his own hands being run over by a boulder because the land was destabilized. No one deserves a tragedy.
    We are Virginia Tech.
    The Hokie Nation embraces our own and reaches out with open heart and hands to those who offer their hearts and minds. We are strong, and brave, and innocent, and unafraid. We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be. We are alive to the imaginations and the possibilities. We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness.
    We are the Hokies.
    We will prevail.
    We will prevail.
    We will prevail.
    We are Virginia Tech.

  5. By Fr. Frank Majka, S.J. on Feb 10, 2014

    Thank you for your comment. I will post it tonight. And thank you and your family for you prayers.

    Frank Majka, S.J.

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