Two years removed from the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary, the town of Uvalde, Texas, is still healing. The community recently observed the second anniversary of the deaths of 19 fourth graders and two teachers who were lost on May 24, 2022, when a lone gunman breached the school building and wreaked havoc.
A memorial service was held at Sacred Heart Parish, where families of the deceased and the community celebrated Mass in honor of the lost. Also present were members of Catholic Extension Society – a non-profit that actually helped build the Sacred Heart church and school in 1906 – who noted that the sanctuary railing was adorned with a candle for each of the 21 victims of the attack.
Those candles each represented one of the fallen and were lit by the grieving parents of the deceased. Some of them, like the parents of Jailah Silguero – a 10-year-old who lost his life at Robb Elementary – wore shirts that read “Two years gone but never forgotten.”
The pews were further filled out by students of Sacred Heart School, many of whom were students at Robb Elementary during the attack, but have since transferred. These children are the future of the Uvalde community and stood as a valuable symbol for hope of a brighter tomorrow, especially the kindergarteners who were dressed in their red graduation robes.
Peace founded on love
The theme of the memorial Mass was peace; specifically “a peace that emanates when we build a world founded on love.” The readings included St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, in which he states: “Love never fails;” while the gospel, selected from John, presented the instruction of Christ to “Love one another.” and “Remain in my love.”
Mass was celebrated by Fr. Matthew De Leon, who has accompanied his community through the grief of loss at every moment of the ordeal these past two years. In 2022, this priest dropped everything to rush to the hospital before the incident had even concluded. There he anointed the bodies of the children who were slain and comforted grief-stricken parents who were still awaiting news of their own children’s fates.
At the memorial, Fr. De Leon wore a stole that was embroidered with the names of the 21 who died at Robb Elementary. In his homily, he told those gathered at Sacred Heart:
“Love is what liberates us in a world that can be so dark — which we know more than most. It’s the thing that gives us hope. Love liberates. Peace is possible.” The young priest added, “There are no limits with what we can do for one another. We can continue to forge a community founded on the foundations of love. We try to do those things that remind us of love.”
A show of hope
It was at that point that he directed the congregation to blow bubbles from wands that had been distributed, which brought some much needed smiles to the faces of the little ones in attendance. As the bubbles settled the priest told them, “We have to take care of ourselves and each other. And don’t forget to see the signs of God’s love in our midst,” before taking out a guitar and leading the sixth grade class through the hymn “I Believe in Jesus.” Many of the singers were transfers from the fourth-grade class of Robb Elementary.
When the music had quieted, Fr. De Leon thanked the parents of the deceased and the teachers who were at Robb Elementary for coming to the memorial. He noted to both groups that Sacred Heart is a home to them, stating, “This is where we are allowed to remain in his love. The healing that continues in our community is binding us together.”
The memorial concluded with the children releasing butterflies in the school yard, while singing “Peace Is Flowing like a River.” This was a symbolic nod to the guidance of San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Stiller, who celebrated Mass at Sacred Heart every night of the summer of 2022. Time and again, the archbishop directed the community to follow the cues of the kids, saying: “The children will show us [the way].”
Accompaniment and the future
The community at Uvalde is still reeling in many ways from the tragedy, but the way forward has been made a little easier by the efforts of the people of Sacred Heart, who continue to accompany those families who remain in the pit of grief. Catholic Extension Society, too, is offering support through scholarships to the students of Sacred Heart, as well as supporting the Uvalde-based Teresian sisters, who have made it their mission to help Uvalde’s children and families rediscover joy and some normalcy.
With this in mind, Catholic Extension Society is also preparing to build a new counseling center on the Sacred Heart Campus. Expected to be dedicated this June, the center will offer support services to the entire community, in an effort to offer another avenue for making peace possible.
And today we celebrate...