Virginia Tech showing forgiveness, little anger toward campus gunman
By Sue Lindsey, Associated Press April 28, 2007

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Kelly White and her two children visited the semicircle of memorials on the Virginia Tech campus, leaving 32 pink tulips — one for each victim in last week’s massacre. They also placed a tulip on the stone for gunman Seung-Hui Cho.

“Forgiveness is part of being freed from anger,” said White, a Blacksburg resident with relatives who attended the school. “I try to teach my children that God loves everyone.”

Cho slaughtered 32 people in the worst shooting in modern US history. But there has been little outrage directed toward him around campus.

He is memorialized alongside his victims, and many students preach forgiveness and talk about him like a troubled family member.

Caroline Merrey, 22, jumped to safety out a classroom window in the building where Cho killed 30 people and himself. She said she was angry at Cho, but also feels sorry for him. “I don’t know how I can be feeling both of those things at the same time, but I do,” she said.

Campus leaders, experts, and those touched by the tragedy say there are several reasons for the spirit of forgiveness. Many people are too overcome by grief to think about anything else. The fact that Cho killed himself provided enough retribution, some say. Others say the forgiveness is rooted in the strong Christian values of this area.

And there is also the loyalty to the “Hokie Nation.”

After a student organization placed the stone memorials in a semicircle last week on the main campus lawn, senior Katelynn L. Johnson added a 33d stone for Cho. Johnson said she told almost no one about the stone because she feared a backlash.

She came forward after someone took it away, because she was outraged by the brief removal of the rock. She says she accepts all “fellow students, faculty, and alumni as Hokies” no matter what problems they have.

“I believe his life had value no matter what he did,” she said. “We lost 33 people.”
Johnson said she has received hundreds of messages supporting placement of the stone for Cho.

She only got a few negative responses, and only one from the Tech community.

After the first stone for Cho was removed, someone else came forward and placed a new one there. As of Thursday, the stone remained.

The appearance and disappearance of the stone reflects the community’s struggle to come to terms with the massacre.

Virginia Tech has not included Cho in its memorial services for the 32 victims. A bell chimed 33 times Monday on the campus lawn, but university officials said the first chime was to start the ceremony.

Officials also released 32 balloons into the air to remember Cho’s victims.

The university so far has had no contact with Cho’s family and does not plan to award him a posthumous degree as it will the students he killed, spokesman Mark Owczarski said.

Los Angeles, California, USA — 65-year old baba Masha (St Mary of Egypt) Harrison today knocked herself out when making the sign of the cross. Used to the military-crisp and somewhat exaggerated crossing method sometimes seen in other babushki, Mrs Harrison forgot she was wearing a cast on her right hand, and in making her usual swift, powerful move toward her forehead for the beginning of the ancient symbol, thwacked herself hard enough to cause her to temporarily lose consciousness. Fortunately she was caught in her fall by her husband, Ralph (St Raphael the Archangel) Harrison. Mrs. Harrison quickly regained consciousness, and contined the service with slightly more subdued gestures.

Just some fun!

Back from a full day at the Tech. Spent most of the day at the Newman center just talking to the students as they came in. I call this tail gate ministry and all we do is listen try to answer their questions. I did a radio interview for the Come Receive the Light program that should hit the Internet on Saturday if you want to listen.

Tonight we had diner with the students at one of their dining halls. I am glad I am not a student now or I would be bigger than I am now. Anyway great time and then back to the Newman Center for Vespers. I have to say again that they have been great at the Newman and deserve much praise and thanks from us for providing us a place to meet and worship it has been great.

Looks like we will be leaving tomorrow (Thursday) morning and heading back to the parish. It is going to take me a few days to process my feeling from this. I keep remembering the statement that I saw on campus, “32 are gone because one was lost” That will be my sermon on Sunday.

Just back from a meeting with the students at the Tech. As I mentioned in the previous post, Bishop Thomas was there and we all went to the Memorial for the Trisagion service. It was beautiful as people came up and stood with us as we prayed for the dead and placed a cross among the other flowers there. We returned to a meeting room where we asked the students to describe their feelings. Most of them knew someone who was either killed or injured and the emotions are still raw. Confidentiality does not allow me to describe anything that they said but it was difficult to listen to and I am glad I am here.

We will meet one on one tomorrow and the rest of the week and tomorrow night we are having diner with them in one of the dining halls and then to the Newman center for vespers and more one on one. Please continue to pray. Below is a photo of the memorial. Fr. Kevin from OCF is taking pictures, I hope the one of Bishop Thomas in a “Hokie” hat comes out if it does I will post it here.

Right now I am blogging from the Newman Center at Virginia Tech. We have been welcomed in with open arms and given space to meet with students. We spent the morning walking around the campus and viewing all off the memorials that have sprung up. The most powerful of all the memorials is the one on the parade field in front of the main admin building. As I walked around the circle of all the names on the parade field was the name of the shooter. Not off by himself but right in the middle of all of them. What a powerful witness to what is going on here. We were stopped by people as we walked around. People just wanted to say thanks for coming and being with them in their time of need.

All around campus people have written different things here and there and the most powerful statement was the following: “32 are gone because one was lost” amazing what more can I say.

At the moment we are doing an interview for Ancient Faith Radio that should be airing soon. We will meet with the students tonight as well as with Bishop Thomas of the Antiochean Archdiocese. Please continue to pray for all of us.

Just a short post. We arrived about 8pm very long day but a very nice drive and I was able to get myself in the right spiritual space. Stopped off in Scranton, PA and had a nice visit with ,y classmate Fr. Christopher. He is a Melkite priest there and I have not seen him in a while so it was nice to see him and catch up.

Met with the rest of the team at diner and we will meet again tomorrow morning for another planning session. We meet with the students tomorrow night at 7pm for a trisagion service and then a needs assessment to see where we go from here.

Finally got on the Internet so that is why this post is so late. It is almost midnight here so I am off to get a few hours sleep before the day begins. Keep praying.

I am all packed and waiting for my ride to arrive. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am off to Virginia Tech to meet with the Orthodox Christian Fellowship and try and help them begin the healing process. Although I have dine this kind of work before, and it seems to be my specialty, this will be the hardest one yet. The students return to school today after a few days off and what they really need is to just get back. As cold as that seems that is the best medicine. That is not to say that they should forget, never, but the best way to honor those slain is to continue classes and graduation and for them to be the best citizens that they can be.

I plan to blog while I am on this journey, more to be able to put words to my thoughts than anything else. I face a 10 hour drive so this maybe my last post today. Perhaps I will post again tonight before bed.

Keep me and my team in your prayers please that we can be used as God’s instrument. Fr. Mychal Judge late chaplain of the FDNY used this prayer often and I quote it here. This will be my prayer this week.