CORONADO, Calif. (KGTV) — Candles lit the sky in Coronado to honor the lives lost in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York.
The Pastor at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Coronado said the goal of the vigil is to stand in solidarity and pray for those impacted by the massacres.
"These are only the latest in this violent epidemic," said Father Michael Murphy to attendees.
He said the community is heartbroken over another shooting.
"For us as believers, as Christians, we just know this is what we have. This is a gift that we can bring to a tragedy like this. Just because we didn't know the children, the teachers or the adults, those that were killed in buffalo doesn't mean we didn't love them any less," he said.
In the crowd praying was Karin Morris.
She said her first reaction to the massacre in Uvalde was shock.
"I think it's terrifying knowing that you drop your child and not knowing that you'll ever see them again," said Morris.
She said she's hugging her seven-year-old a little tighter and that it was hard to drop her off at school.
"We saw the principal the first day back to school [and] it was obvious that she was devastated. So, we ended up writing a letter to the principal because of how affected she was and drew some remembrances of the children and the two teachers that passed away," said Morris.
She tells the families impacted to love one another.
Father Murphy said prayers will be said at masses this weekend for those impacted.
"One thing that I would tell the families as well is that we pray for their consolation during this time, but we know that consolation is a distant companion. Hopefully, someday they will be able to embrace it. Right now, they're inconsolable but our prayers will hopefully assist them as they go forward from here and find that consolation," said Father Murphy.
President Joe Biden is expected to Texas tomorrow.
