Hate has no home in our society - but it has many envoys seeking to establish a greater foothold, as seen in Saturday's violence in Buffalo during which ten people were killed in a racially motivated mass shooting at Tops Friendly Markets.
We mourn those killed in the name of racial hatred. We grieve with those who lost loved ones and also with the untold millions of people who are traumatized by the horrible truth and impacts of racialized violence and white supremacy seen this past weekend, and in many spaces in our country and world.
Vincent de Paul was a pragmatist. One of his gifts was to see reality for what it was, not what people would have it be. DePaul recognizes that racism and vile rhetoric like "The Great Replacement Theory" has left the margins and entered the mainstream of society from the desks of news channels and the words of prominent politicians. This is an evil that is driving hate crimes, that is making what is an already catastrophic event like the murders in Buffalo more haunting and threatening to marginalized communities who live in fear of continued violence.
DePaul stands against this growing hateful movement. Last spring the university made a statement of solidarity, of standing together:
We reject hate, racism, and violence. We support and protect the dignity of all who are part of our university community. We affirm that hate has no home here.
As a university community, let us build relationships of respect, mutuality, compassion and love. As an institution of higher learning, let us apply our scholarly pursuits and resources to the task of combatting hate through research, education, civic engagement, anti-racist practices, and advocacy.
We invite all who want, to pray together with us as a community:
God of many names, bless those who endure racialized and other forms of violence. Bless the families who are dealing with fresh grief from the loss of those they loved, and comfort and strengthen and free those faced with ongoing and terrible consequences of institutionalized racism and other forms of oppression.
God grant us the clarity and courage to be lights. To take actions to sow love and to combat hatred. May DePaul be an educational institution that seeks to preserve the dignity of every person at our university and all people throughout the world. Help us stand in solidarity and commit to doing what must be done to end hate and violence directed at communities already systemically on the margins. Amen.
If you are grieving or traumatized, you are not struggling alone. We would like to offer assistance beyond our prayers for you. Pastoral counseling with staff from several religious backgrounds is available through the Division of Mission and Ministry. The Black Cultural Center and other identity-specific cultural and resource centers as well as other identity-specific groups at DePaul can provide community. The My Student Support Program can provide brief, individual counseling for all currently enrolled students.
Take care of yourself, take care of your loved ones, take care of your community. Take care DePaul.