Dear members of the Sacred Heart University community,
Sadly, I am once again writing to you about a senseless mass shooting—this time one that killed 49 people in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is particularly horrifying to me because I know how deeply it has impacted the members of our Muslim community here on campus and because it happened in a place of worship. Freedom of religion is the tenet on which our country was founded.
In light of this event, the Sacred Heart University community will gather for prayers and reflection on Monday, March 18, at 2 p.m. in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit where we will celebrate our tradition of nonviolence, inclusivity and tolerance through prayer, music and—most importantly—coming together as we always do in times of sadness and times of celebration. Even as this horrific event was taking place, we were offering a discussion series entitled “Heart Challenges Hate.” And on Thursday, students, faculty and staff gathered to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the student walkout that followed the shooting in Parkland, FL. Let’s gather together and pray for a day when we no longer need to have these kinds of conversations.
I strongly encourage all members of the SHU community to join us and show the strength of our numbers as we stand together with those in our community who are grieving as well as with those in the greater community we all share.
Thank you.
John J. Petillo, Ph.D.
President
Sacred Heart University
(This message originally appeared on Sacred Heart University’s website: www.sacredheart.edu/aboutshu/news.)
