CELEBRATION OF LIFE WITH HOMICIDE VIGIL PRAYER PARTNERS 

Isn’t that terrible? That was Sister Gertrude Ann Droll’s opening remark to a small group of Sisters who had gathered for prayer and discussion one Sunday evening in September 1993. Another homicide had occurred in Dayton that day! Sister Dorothy Kammerer responded, “What’s more terrible is that we are doing nothing about it.”

Dorothy’s response lit a fire. Sister Dorothy motivated the Sisters to action. Less than a month later some thirty sisters gathered at Salem Heights to decide a course of action. From six suggestions the group chose to initiate Prayer Vigils at the site of a homicide (it was probably Dorothy’s idea). Holding public Prayer Vigils would be an expression of caring support to the family and friends of the victim.

As Sisters of the Precious Blood we were convinced that such visible prayer would be:

- a witness to our Congregation’s long tradition of prayer for anyone in need;

- an expression of the life-oriented motivation of our Congregation – the Redeeming Love of Jesus who gave His life that  

  we all might have life;

- An Action in the spirit of Maria Anna Brunner, the woman who started our Congregation. She always showed a

   compassionate concern for the poor. Wouldn’t you agree that most often the poor are the victims of violence?

A volunteer Task Force agreed to plan the course of action. In February 1994, this Task Force called a meeting of leaders of the larger Dayton civic and religious community. Two professionals, Jana Schroeder from the American Friends Service Committee and Willie Reiter from the Dayton Pledge of Resistance, conducted the meeting. Jana and Willie outlined the attitudinal, the practical and the civic  and legal issues at stake in undertaking such a venture.

On April 15, 1994 the first Vigil sponsored by “Interfaith Action for a Violence Free America” celebrated the life and memory of all victims of homicides from the first of January. The Prayer Vigil was held at Court House Square.  The first Vigil at the site of a homicide was held on April 26, 1994. We prayed; we sang; we reflected. From that date until May 1997, we prayed at 131 Homicide sites. At each we hoped, we prayed that there would be no more blood shed that we might indeed soon gather to celebrate life.

In May of 1997, when the Sisters were unable to continue the leadership role the co-pastors of Victory Methodist Church on North Dixie took over leadership. The Vigils continued in the same way until August 1998.  Rev. Mary  Olson, one of  Victory Methodist Co-pastors, was called to minister in Oklahoma.  After this plans for holding Vigils began to change gradually. Within a year they just ceased to be held. In the fifteen month interval an additional 48 Vigils were held.

That’s a brief history! More significant are the sentiments of participants in the Vigils.  The Vigils were profoundly spiritual gatherings. Precious lives had been taken; bodies had been broken; life-blood had been poured out. We held, and continued to hold, the Prayer Vigils because we treasured the sacredness of life.

The experience of a by-stander helps explain. We had finished the Vigil when a man from the street stepped into our midst and asked, “Can I talk?”  He did and he said, “I was a street man just as my friend for whom you just prayed. I had time to turn my life around; he didn’t.  A life has been taken! Do you realize this is sacred ground?  Your prayer has made a difference.” What a message from a brother who understood homicides from his own appreciation of life, the life of a friend!

That message takes us to the Scriptures where we read words of Jesus. He said, of his life, “This is My Body given for you. This is My Blood shed for you and for ALL”

At the homicide vigils we pray for the Victim and the Family, for the Victimizer(s) and Families, for healing and peace among the people of the neighborhood.

Each of these persons is “ONE OF THE ALL for whom Jesus gave His life.

And NOW! After an eight year interlude, Homicide Vigil Prayer Partners have, since March 2006, prayed at 44 homicide sites. These Prayer Partners have the mutual support of Church, religious and justice oriented groups. It would be wonderful if other groups were motivated to participate in the Prayer Vigils. We elder Sisters at Salem Heights have a Vigil in the chapel when there is a Prayer Vigil at the site of the homicide.

We have not been alone in believing that Vigil Prayer Support is a very meaningful effort to overcome violence. Vigils have been held in Indianapolis, IN, in Gallup, NM, in Rochester, NY. I am quite sure there may be other places that hold Vigils.

Let us continue to respond to the “Cry of the Blood” that all Dayton, and places beyond, will hear our diverse voices plead, “No more blood shed; please. Let there be peace, that ALL may celebrate LIFE.”