Hundreds of mourners gathered Friday at Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver to hear Archbishop J. Michael Miller promise the Filipino community that they are not alone in their grief as they continue to process the horrific vehicle attack that killed 11 people and injured dozens of others.
Miller stood before a packed cathedral that included family and friends of some of the victims in , which occurred just after 8 p.m. as the Lapu Lapu Day festival was coming to a close in south Vancouver.
“This vibrant community inspires us today and always with its spiritual resilience, founded on faith, openness to others in difficulty, and the importance it gives to the treasure of family life,” he told the crowd, which included Premier David Eby, Mayor Ken Sim and acting Police Chief Steve Rai.
“With gratitude for their many gifts, this evening, we assure the Filipino community that they are not alone in their grief.”
Describing the vehicle attack as an unspeakable horror and a grim day in Vancouver’s history, Miller said words can fail people in coming to grips with sorrow — in this case, “a sorrow that shakes all of us to our very being.”
That’s why, he said, people observe moments of silence in times like this — to remember the deceased, the injured, the traumatized. Such observances have taken place across British Columbia, in the Philippines “and indeed around the world,” he said
“In times of catastrophe, people can be tempted to adopt the old saying, ‘Everyone for himself or herself,’” Miller said.
“However, our gathering this evening in our cathedral tells a different story about who we are in Vancouver. Instead of surrendering to either helplessness or self-interest, we have chosen to cultivate the simple virtue of kindness.”
'Foundational to our province'
At the end of the memorial mass, which occurred on an official day of mourning across the province, Eby, Sim and Rai addressed the crowd in separate speeches at the front of the cathedral.
Eby first thanked the families of the victims and the injured for allowing him and others to mourn together. He then turned his thoughts directly to the Filipino community — a community, he said, that is often overlooked but “that has held us up in our hardest times, in our hospitals, in our care homes, in our schools.”
“And as hard as it is to imagine in this moment, we will celebrate again — because we must,” he said. “[We cannot] let the actions of one man prevent us from celebrating an incredible culture, an incredible people, a group that is foundational to our province.”
Sim, who was seated in one of the front pews of the church with Eby and others, said the tragedy is “a loss that belongs to all of us.”
“But even in our deepest sorrow, I've witnessed something incredibly powerful and incredibly beautiful: people from every background, every walk of life, every neighbourhood, showing up and offering comfort, sharing grief and beginning the long, hard journey of healing,” the mayor said.
“That's what gives me hope. We will never forget those who we've lost, their names, their stories, their spirit. They will always be part of Vancouver's story.”
'Be strong, be courageous'
Rai, who became Vancouver’s acting chief three days before the tragedy, said he spoke with the department’s chaplain before attending Friday’s service and both were drawn to a passage of scripture.
It was from the Book of Joshua, which told the story of how Joshua was full of loss over the death of Moses.
“In response, God says these words to Joshua: ‘I hereby command you to be strong, be courageous, do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go,’” Rai said.
“As those words were necessary for Joshua, then I believe these words are timely for us all now, having lost so many members of our community under such horrific circumstances”
Added Rai: “What is now required is for each of us to join together as one human family from the many diverse segments of our society and to walk forward together in a spirit of hope, especially as we recognize that the late Pope Francis declared this to be a jubilee year of hope for not just the Catholic Church, but for people of all faiths.”
Friday’s memorial mass was one of many planned in Vancouver and across Metro Vancouver, with Miller saying that collections will be taken up at 77 churches this weekend for the families of the victims.
Meanwhile, Filipino BC and the United Way have teamed up to collect donations on behalf of the families affected by the tragedy.
The public can visit the Filipino BC website or via United Way. Donations will go towards providing support such as counselling and covering funeral costs for victims.
As more needs are identified, donations will be funnelled accordingly through the grant process led by United Way, according to a news release from Filipino BC.
The alleged driver of the vehicle in the attack, Kai-Ji Adam Lo, a 30-year-old east Vancouver resident, was charged with eight counts of second-degree murder in connection with the crime. Police have said they anticipate more charges.
Lo appeared, where Judge Reginald Harris ordered Lo be subject to a 30-day psychiatric assessment to determine if he is fit to stand trial.
X/@Howellings
