University Gathers to Mourn Following Student Deaths

09/23/2021

Members of the University community gathered together Wednesday in St. Francis Xavier College Church for a special prayer service following the recent, tragic deaths of two SLU students. 

“We’ve suffered much these past two weeks, and we’re inclined to come together so that we can ease that suffering by our words, by our actions and by our very presence,” said David Suwalsky, S.J., vice president for Mission and Identity. 

The sudden deaths of two young students has been felt campus-wide, Suwalsky said. 

“The burden of losing classmates and students weighs heavy,” he said. “Not just in the loss of life, but also in the loss of potential. We are struck down by untimely death and left adrift by the loss of our future with them. There are now dreams cut short. Relationships that will not develop further. The silence from words and hopes that can no longer be shared. That, friends, hurts almost as much as death itself.”

Suwalsky noted that grief and loss are parts of life. No one gets to experience life without some loss, he said. 

“We live in a world where joy and loss run alongside one another,” he said. “This is the human experience. While we pray that the joyful days of our lives far outweigh the other ones, deep down we know that on another day, we will find ourselves in a place like this church. We will gather in faith and friendship to acknowledge our loss and to pray that what we believe is true — that life does not end. It has just changed in ways that are still mysterious to us.” 

Suwalsky shared his hope that after the tears and heartache, those mourning will find some measure of peace.

“Allow tears to come, but allow laughter, too,” he said. “Do not linger in dark places. … Do not let your hearts be troubled and, if they are, do not let them be troubled for too long.”

Suwalsky encouraged anyone struggling to seek out the many resources on campus. He pointed out that a number of Jesuits were at the service ready to listen. 

University President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., also spoke at the service. He began his remarks talking about his affinity for College Church. Pestello said he was struck by the beauty of the church, both inside and out, and how it served as a symbol of SLU’s campus. He said College Church is where Billikens routinely gather to practice their faith. On this occasion, the crowd was there to grieve. 

“We talk here about being a Jesuit university of men and women for and with others,” he said. “These core beliefs make this time particularly difficult because right now we are wounded. We are hurting. We have suffered great loss.”

Pestello said students are not alone in feeling hurt. He said the recent deaths have had an impact on the entire University. 

“This has taken a toll on our community, on all of us,” he said. “Our students, our staff, our faculty, our Jesuits and our administration — each of us suffers, each of us grieves.”

Pestello called upon the University community to follow in the path of the Jesuit tradition. 

“Now more than ever we must be a community of support, a community of care and a community of care for each other,” he said. “Regardless of our role at this University, while we grieve, we must remember and live our gospel values, support the dignity of all, respect all, accept all, have empathy, demonstrate genuine concern for each other, reach out to each other, practice patience, promote hope, celebrate the glorious differences among us, forgive, share whatever joy you can muster and genuinely love each other.”

While the University grieves, Pestello promised the administration will continue to work toward addressing the needs and concerns of the community. 

“Together we will continue to dialogue, together we will continue to identify what our community most needs,” he said. “We will continue to provide solutions and take appropriate action. We owe this to those we lost.”

Pestello closed his remarks by encouraging Billikens to be united.

“I have repeatedly watched us come through difficult times in the past,” he said. “We have suffered great losses before these past two weeks. We must do what has carried us through other dark moments — lock our arms and move forward together. One SLU.”