John Carroll Catholic High School hosts community prayer vigil for peace and racial justice

John Carroll Catholic High School held a community prayer vigil for peace and racial justice on June 25 at 7:30 p.m. 

The vigil was organized by the JCCHS Office of Campus Ministry, the John Carroll Heritage Panel, and the John Carroll Student Government Association. It was an opportunity for the greater Cavalier community to come together and join voices in prayer, as the nation works to move forward in peace and a greater understanding of one another.

The event, which was held outdoors at Pat Sullivan Field on the John Carroll campus, was attended by approximately 200 Cavalier students, alumni, faculty, staff and parents. John Carroll's Chaplain, Father Joshua Altonji, opened the vigil with prayer, asking the Lord to clear the minds of all in attendance and to direct their use for His glory. Many of the participants, who held lit candles, formed a circle around the football field, while others gathered in the bleachers. The crowd was then led by John Carroll students in praying The Divine Mercy Chaplet.

The vigil ended with a call to action by John Carroll faculty member, Patrick Cashio, as he prayed, "We have prayed and now, with changed hearts, let us move our feet to action."

The vigil participants were provided with a prayer card that included the names and contact information for several Catholic resources devoted to combating racism, and participants also received a link to a survey on the school website where they could help share their thoughts and ideas on ways that they can work together to improve the school community and end racial injustice. The survey can be found on the John Carroll website, jcchs.org, under the Faith Life tab.

"As our school president, Father Bob Sullivan reminded us recently, the basic building block of Catholic Social Teaching is that all are created in the image and likeness of God, and that we at John Carroll must speak out against racism. Additionally, we must continue the conversation within our school community and continue to learn and grow together," said John Carroll's Director of Campus Ministry Abby King. 

Submitted by Alyssa Weisberg.