'A lot of tears, sadness' at Virginia Tech, says campus minister

Published: 2007-04-17

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- "There's been a lot of tears, a lot of sadness," Catholic campus minister Teresa Volante said on the phone as she tried to describe how Virginia Tech students were reacting April 17 to the shooting deaths of 33 students and faculty members on their campus the day before. And prayers, too. She said about 150 students showed up for a hastily arranged memorial Mass and prayer vigil at the Newman Center just off the campus the evening of April 16. "A lot of students are going to the convocation and ecumenical prayer service," she told Catholic News Service, referring to a 2 p.m. gathering at the university's Cassell Coliseum April 17 and an 8 p.m. candlelight prayer vigil that evening at Drillfield, a large open field in the middle of the campus. On April 16 and 17 some students stopped in the Newman chapel to pray, while others went to the War Memorial Chapel on campus. Still others stopped by a makeshift memorial shrine set up by some students on campus to write a message, light a candle or say a prayer. Volante said that before the prayer vigil April 17 there would be a 6 p.m. Mass at the Newman chapel. She said residents of Blacksburg had been stopping in to bring food and soft drinks for the students and to help out however they can, making coffee, answering phones, talking with students. "There's been overwhelming support from people," she said.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .