Dear SFC Community,

Since Saturday, California has been rocked by two deadly mass shootings: one in Monterey Park, near Los Angeles; the other in Half Moon Bay, a small city south of San Francisco. The two incidents left 18 people dead and others seriously injured.

As we struggle to come to terms with these senseless attacks, many families find themselves grieving or hoping and praying that a loved one will recover from their wounds. It’s a situation that, sadly, has become all too familiar in our nation. We are barely three weeks into January, and California alone has experienced three lethal mass shootings.

While authorities continue to investigate the motives of the attacks in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, what is clear is that both disproportionately impacted the Asian American community. Monterey Park is home to one of the largest Asian communities in the United States, many members of which were celebrating the Lunar New Year with family and friends this weekend when they fell victim to gun violence.

In this country, Asians and Asian Americans have been targeted with increasing violence and bigotry in recent years, and we want the AAPI community at St. Francis College to know that we mourn with you and stand beside you in solidarity.

Any member of the SFC community interested in seeking mental-health support should visit the Office of Health Promotion and Wellness webpage or email [email protected]. If you would like to request prayer, please contact Brother Greg Cellini in the Office of Mission, Ministry & Interfaith Dialogue at [email protected].

At moments such as this, our community is reminded of its Catholic-Franciscan foundational values of peace and a belief in individual human dignity and worth. Let us recommit ourselves to furthering these values.

Prayerfully and sorrowfully yours,

Miguel Martinez-Saenz
President
St. Francis College