As Catholic Sisters and New York residents we are united with our brothers and sisters in Buffalo as they grieve the loss of ten innocent victims to the sin of white supremacy. The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas have released a statement that expresses our sorrow and outrage at the needless tragedy. With the permission of the Sisters of Mercy we the Justice Promoters of LCWR Region 2, share this statement with you. The statement is printed below.
Catherine Artale, Congregation of Infant Jesus; Danielle Bonetti, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet- Albany Province; Faith Colligan, Daughters of Charity- St. Louis Province; Catherine Darcy, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas; Carol De Angelo, Sisters of Charity of New York; Jean Fallon, Maryknoll Sisters; Eileen Gannon, Dominican Sisters of Sparkhill; Alice Marie Giordano, The Ursuline Sisters of the Roman Union – Eastern Province; Ann Gray, Daughters of Wisdom US Province; Regina Holtz, Franciscan Sisters of Peace; Emily Masse, Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville NY; Phyllis Tierney, Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester; Susan Wilcox, Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood.
May 16, 2022
Dear Sisters, Associates, Companions and Co-workers in Mercy,
On Saturday, May 14, a predominantly African American community in Buffalo, New York, was targeted by an act of racial hatred that took the lives of 10 African Americans and injured three others.
This racially motivated act made even more accessible due to inadequate gun regulations, demonstrates the danger of unchecked white supremacy and the imminent harm of this ideology to our Black and Brown sisters and brothers, for no other reason than the color of their skin.
Our faith, which sees everyone as a reflection of our loving God, calls us to mourn with our sisters and brothers in Buffalo and to recommit our efforts to dismantle structures of oppression and the culture of violence that perpetuate these tragedies.
An individual acted on Saturday, but he was not alone. Every person, politician, news outlet and social media platform that espouses white supremacy ideology from across the country was with him. Every legislation designed to disenfranchise and erase persons of color is part of this same hate-based ideology. We condemn the systemic racism and culture of white supremacy in this country in the strongest terms.
We say their names:
Roberta A. Drury (32), Margus D. Morrison (52), Andre Mackneil (53), Aaron Salter (55), Geraldine Talley (62), Celestine Chaney (65), Heyward Patterson (67), Katherine Massey (72), Pearl Young (77), and Ruth Whitfield (86)
Black women and men around the country have been shown through extrajudicial killings and ongoing racist attacks that their lives are less valued. Today they will go about daily errands with even greater fear knowing that such an attack may be coming. The Sisters of Mercy, and all people of faith, must do our part to sit in the pain of the black community today, understand the reality of that fear and unequivocally demonstrate that Black Lives Matter.
The Sisters of Mercy have been a part of the Buffalo community since 1858. We are confident that the resiliency of Buffalo will always be stronger than hate, and we will work together to bring about the day when such resiliency is no longer necessary.
In Mercy,
The Institute Leadership Team
I join the Sisters of St.Joseph and Associates and the Sisters of Mercy of Buffalo in condemning the systemic racism and culture of white supremacy in this country in the strongest terms. I pray for all the victims of the horrific taking of lives.
With gratitude I add my name to the statement condemning systemic racism and the conditions which contribute to both personal and social violence. I also challenge the right of government leaders who collect income from tax payers while refusing to protect the rights of persons especially in low income neighborhoods. To those senators and legislators I say, “Ten years of slaughter is enough. Resign your office and open it for those who will have the courage to pass legislation limiting access to assault weapons.”