Coming together to stand against hate and terrorism

Saint Rose President Marcia White sent the following message to students and employees on Friday, May 20:

Dear Students and Colleagues,

On Saturday, May 14, a man filled with hate and racism murdered 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket, all Black. Their names are: Celestine Chaney, Roberta A. Drury, Andre MacKneil, Katherine Massey, Margus D. Morrison, Heyward Patterson, Aaron Salter, Geraldine Talley, Ruth Whitfield, and Pearl Young.

This horrific act of terrorism is the antithesis of all that we are and stand for as a community. Like many of you, I have struggled to absorb the reality of this. This has been a very emotional, difficult month. My heart was already heavy and grieving. I know yours is too.

Like our founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, “we are called to profound love of neighbor without distinction in a spirit of unity and reconciliation.”  It is our obligation to not only care for each other, but to defend and uphold racial justice and reject racism and violence in all forms.

Saint Rose was founded on love—love of learning, love of neighbor, love of community, love of each other and love of God. Saint Rose was founded to educate, to teach critical thinking, analytical thought, and scientific inquiry. Never has education served a more important role in our nation’s and state’s history.  Never has what we do at Saint Rose been more vital.

I share the pain of those in the City of Buffalo while acknowledging that I can never fully know the mix of immense loss, grief, and anger experienced by that community, and our students and employees who know racism in very personal ways. Consider how this impacts them, and the fear and chilling impact it has on their daily lives. We need to support them in any way we can.

At times of immense challenge, one of our Saint Rose values is to gather in community. On Tuesday morning at 9 a.m., we will gather on the lawn outside the Interfaith Sanctuary for a service of prayer and reflection to stand against hate and racism in every form, to support each other, and our dear neighbors across the State.

Sincerely,

Marcia