We are all so deeply saddened by the school shooting that took place on Tuesday in Uvalde, Texas. As parents and educators, the senseless crime is simply unfathomable. Our hearts and our prayers are with the families and community members affected by this devastating tragedy.
So far in 2022, there have been 27 school shootings in the US resulting in injury or death. There is work that must be done to bring back a sense of safety in our schools. Our Holy Cross staff is taking immediate action to ensure a better safety plan for our school for the 2022-2023 academic year. We have formed a school safety committee that will work together this summer to review our current plan with a consultant, provide school safety training for all staff, and start applying for grants to update our security system. Keeping our students and staff is our top priority.
National tragedies can cause a range of emotions for both adults and children, such as feeling frightened or confused. It is important that adults give children information and guidance on how to process and react. Helping children feel safe and secure and providing them with ways to cope is the most important thing we can do. Below are some great resources to help us heal through this tragedy.
In response to the news of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) offered the following statement from its spokesperson, Chieko Noguchi, director of public affairs.
“There have been too many school shootings, too much killing of the innocent. Our Catholic faith calls us to pray for those who have died and to bind the wounds of others, and we join our prayers along with the community in Uvalde and Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller. As we do so, each of us also needs to search our souls for ways that we can do more to understand this epidemic of evil and violence and implore our elected officials to help us take action.”
I ask our entire Holy Cross Community to join the community of Uvalde and Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller in saying a prayer for those loved ones that were lost.
Today, we remember those 21 souls lost and pray for their families and for ourselves. Jesus says, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28)”. While our hearts are extremely saddened by this loss, we turn to God who is our hope and our help in times of trouble. Amen
