{"id":158116,"date":"2023-11-03T10:25:33","date_gmt":"2023-11-03T14:25:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/?p=158116"},"modified":"2024-07-01T15:08:48","modified_gmt":"2024-07-01T19:08:48","slug":"generosity-care-and-kindness-from-our-community-remind-us-to-hold-onto-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/2023\/11\/03\/generosity-care-and-kindness-from-our-community-remind-us-to-hold-onto-hope\/","title":{"rendered":"Generosity, care, and kindness remind us &#8216;to hold onto hope&#8217; in the wake of tragedy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>With students, faculty, and staff sitting shoulder to shoulder late Wednesday afternoon in Gomes Chapel, President Garry W. Jenkins reminded the Bates community of the capacity for human acts to help lift the darkness left in the wake of the Oct. 25 shootings in Lewiston that resulted in the deaths of 18 people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1919\" height=\"1279\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1332.webp\" alt=\"\u201cThe brightness that shines through the dark of a tragedy such as we have suffered here in Lewiston, our home, is what it always is in times like these: the immense capacity of our shared humanity,\u201d said Bates President Garry W. Jenkins in his remarks during today\u2019s Vigil for Grief and Remembrance, held at 4:30 p.m. in Gomes Chapel on the one-week anniversary of the shootings in Lewiston.\n\nLed by the Rev. Brittany Longsdorf, the college\u2019s multifaith chaplain, the vigil gave the campus community an opportunity to come together for silence, candle lighting, poetry, and interfaith prayers, and, ultimately, to share communal grief with their Lewiston community.\nWelcome &amp; Naming Grief: Brittany Longsdorf, \nMultifaith Chaplain and Visiting Lecturer in the Humanities\n\nBates President Garry W. Jenkins Remarks\n\nLewiston Mayor Carl Sheline\u2019s Remarks \n\nInvitation for Sharing: Brittany Longsdorf\n\n*Barry Music* (single floor mic, guitar output)\n\nReading of the Names: Brittany Longsdorf and Raymond Clothier, associate multifaith chaplain\n\u2022\tTricia C. Asselin\n\u2022\tPeyton Brewer-Ross\n\u2022\tWilliam Frank Brackett\n\u2022\tThomas Ryan Conrad\n\u2022\tMichael R. Deslauriers II\n\u2022\tMaxx A. Hathaway\n\u2022\tBryan M. MacFarlane\n\u2022\tKeith D. Macneir\n\u2022\tRonald G. Morin\n\u2022\tJoshua A. Seal\n\u2022\tArthur Fred Strout\n\u2022\tStephen M. Vozzella\n\u2022\tLucille M. Violette\n\u2022\tRobert E. Violette\n\u2022\tJoseph Lawrence Walker\n\u2022\tJason Adam Walker\n\u2022\tWilliam A. Young\n\u2022\tAaron Young\n*moment  of silence* &amp; closing, begin to pass candle lighting \n\nREADINGS (all from Lectern mic unless noted)\nAneeza Ahmad \u201825 of Sharon, Mass., and Alaina Rauf \u201825 of Yarmouth, Me., of the Bates Muslim Student Association \nSophie Leight \u201826 of Easton, Md.\nVenerable Tenzin Dasel, \u201888 - volunteer spiritual advisor and founder of the Maine Mindfulness Project and is an active retreat leader and speaker in the International Network of Engaged Buddhists \nLevi Mindlin \u201824 of Portland, Ore - song (single floor mic, guitar output)\" class=\"wp-image-158167\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1332.webp 1919w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1332-400x267.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1332-900x600.webp 900w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1332-942x628.jpg 942w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1332-1536x1024.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1919px) 100vw, 1919px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Vigil for Grief and Remembrance was held in Gomes Chapel on Nov. 1, the one-week anniversary of the Lewiston shootings. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe brightness that shines through the dark of a tragedy such as we have suffered here in Lewiston, our home, is what it always is in times like these: the immense capacity of our shared humanity,\u201d Jenkins said. He called on those gathered \u2014 filling the chapel \u2014 to continue to support each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>The Vigil for Grief and Remembrance, presented by the college&#8217;s Multifaith Chaplaincy, was held on Nov. 1, the one-week anniversary of the Lewiston shootings. Many Bates students had attended a large vigil three days before in downtown Lewiston at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, but the on-campus vigil offered an opportunity for the Bates campus community to grieve and reflect together.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The mood in the chapel full of students, faculty, and staff was somber. A few held hands. Some in attendance dabbed at their eyes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1919\" height=\"1279\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1537.webp\" alt=\"\u201cThe brightness that shines through the dark of a tragedy such as we have suffered here in Lewiston, our home, is what it always is in times like these: the immense capacity of our shared humanity,\u201d said Bates President Garry W. Jenkins in his remarks during today\u2019s Vigil for Grief and Remembrance, held at 4:30 p.m. in Gomes Chapel on the one-week anniversary of the shootings in Lewiston.\n\nLed by the Rev. Brittany Longsdorf, the college\u2019s multifaith chaplain, the vigil gave the campus community an opportunity to come together for silence, candle lighting, poetry, and interfaith prayers, and, ultimately, to share communal grief with their Lewiston community.\nWelcome &amp; Naming Grief: Brittany Longsdorf, \nMultifaith Chaplain and Visiting Lecturer in the Humanities\n\nBates President Garry W. Jenkins Remarks\n\nLewiston Mayor Carl Sheline\u2019s Remarks \n\nInvitation for Sharing: Brittany Longsdorf\n\n*Barry Music* (single floor mic, guitar output)\n\nReading of the Names: Brittany Longsdorf and Raymond Clothier, associate multifaith chaplain\n\u2022\tTricia C. Asselin\n\u2022\tPeyton Brewer-Ross\n\u2022\tWilliam Frank Brackett\n\u2022\tThomas Ryan Conrad\n\u2022\tMichael R. Deslauriers II\n\u2022\tMaxx A. Hathaway\n\u2022\tBryan M. MacFarlane\n\u2022\tKeith D. Macneir\n\u2022\tRonald G. Morin\n\u2022\tJoshua A. Seal\n\u2022\tArthur Fred Strout\n\u2022\tStephen M. Vozzella\n\u2022\tLucille M. Violette\n\u2022\tRobert E. Violette\n\u2022\tJoseph Lawrence Walker\n\u2022\tJason Adam Walker\n\u2022\tWilliam A. Young\n\u2022\tAaron Young\n*moment  of silence* &amp; closing, begin to pass candle lighting \n\nREADINGS (all from Lectern mic unless noted)\nAneeza Ahmad \u201825 of Sharon, Mass., and Alaina Rauf \u201825 of Yarmouth, Me., of the Bates Muslim Student Association \nSophie Leight \u201826 of Easton, Md.\nVenerable Tenzin Dasel, \u201888 - volunteer spiritual advisor and founder of the Maine Mindfulness Project and is an active retreat leader and speaker in the International Network of Engaged Buddhists \nLevi Mindlin \u201824 of Portland, Ore - song (single floor mic, guitar output)\" class=\"wp-image-158171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1537.webp 1919w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1537-400x267.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1537-900x600.webp 900w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1537-942x628.jpg 942w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1537-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1537-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1919px) 100vw, 1919px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> The Rev. Brittany Longsdorf, Bates\u2019 multifaith chaplain, lights a student&#8217;s candle during the campus vigil in Gomes chapel on Nov. 1, 2023. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLet us be a loving community and carry all the things we are feeling and sifting through together,\u201d said the Rev. Brittany Longsdorf, Bates\u2019 multifaith chaplain, speaking from the pulpit to the chapel as daylight started to fade.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People have gathered to grieve for centuries because it\u2019s vital in the healing process, Longsdorf said as she prepared for the vigil earlier in the day. She said this simple, human act of coming together binds us \u2014 and also frees us of the guilt that can follow a horrific tragedy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1919\" height=\"1279\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_0904.webp\" alt=\"\u201cThe brightness that shines through the dark of a tragedy such as we have suffered here in Lewiston, our home, is what it always is in times like these: the immense capacity of our shared humanity,\u201d said Bates President Garry W. Jenkins in his remarks during today\u2019s Vigil for Grief and Remembrance, held at 4:30 p.m. in Gomes Chapel on the one-week anniversary of the shootings in Lewiston.\n\nLed by the Rev. Brittany Longsdorf, the college\u2019s multifaith chaplain, the vigil gave the campus community an opportunity to come together for silence, candle lighting, poetry, and interfaith prayers, and, ultimately, to share communal grief with their Lewiston community.\nWelcome &amp; Naming Grief: Brittany Longsdorf, \nMultifaith Chaplain and Visiting Lecturer in the Humanities\n\nBates President Garry W. Jenkins Remarks\n\nLewiston Mayor Carl Sheline\u2019s Remarks \n\nInvitation for Sharing: Brittany Longsdorf\n\n*Barry Music* (single floor mic, guitar output)\n\nReading of the Names: Brittany Longsdorf and Raymond Clothier, associate multifaith chaplain\n\u2022\tTricia C. Asselin\n\u2022\tPeyton Brewer-Ross\n\u2022\tWilliam Frank Brackett\n\u2022\tThomas Ryan Conrad\n\u2022\tMichael R. Deslauriers II\n\u2022\tMaxx A. Hathaway\n\u2022\tBryan M. MacFarlane\n\u2022\tKeith D. Macneir\n\u2022\tRonald G. Morin\n\u2022\tJoshua A. Seal\n\u2022\tArthur Fred Strout\n\u2022\tStephen M. Vozzella\n\u2022\tLucille M. Violette\n\u2022\tRobert E. Violette\n\u2022\tJoseph Lawrence Walker\n\u2022\tJason Adam Walker\n\u2022\tWilliam A. Young\n\u2022\tAaron Young\n*moment  of silence* &amp; closing, begin to pass candle lighting \n\nREADINGS (all from Lectern mic unless noted)\nAneeza Ahmad \u201825 of Sharon, Mass., and Alaina Rauf \u201825 of Yarmouth, Me., of the Bates Muslim Student Association \nSophie Leight \u201826 of Easton, Md.\nVenerable Tenzin Dasel, \u201888 - volunteer spiritual advisor and founder of the Maine Mindfulness Project and is an active retreat leader and speaker in the International Network of Engaged Buddhists \nLevi Mindlin \u201824 of Portland, Ore - song (single floor mic, guitar output)\" class=\"wp-image-158181\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_0904.webp 1919w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_0904-400x267.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_0904-900x600.webp 900w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_0904-942x628.jpg 942w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_0904-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_0904-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1919px) 100vw, 1919px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Garry W. Jenkins, flanked by Longsdorf (left) and his husband, Jon Lee, called upon the &#8220;immense capacity of our shared humanity&#8221; during his remarks at the vigil. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGrieving together is essential to come out of this hard moment. That\u2019s why societies have done things like this vigil for thousands of years,\u201d said Longsdorf. \u201cWhen you see other people in that space, it helps us lean into it in a special way. I think doing it together, it\u2019s why at Bates we love Lewiston, and why Lewiston loves on us. We love this city that is our home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In his remarks, Bates&#8217; new president also offered his vision for the way forward \u2014 a journey made together that is guided by love:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGenerosity and care and eagerness to help, to support, to embrace have emanated from every corner of this city and this college community like a beacon of light, filling our hearts and mending our souls,\u201d Jenkins said. \u201cThey remind us of human goodness. They remind us to hold onto hope. They remind us that together, over time, we will recover and heal. In that, I have faith.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1919\" height=\"1279\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_2853.webp\" alt=\"\u201cThe brightness that shines through the dark of a tragedy such as we have suffered here in Lewiston, our home, is what it always is in times like these: the immense capacity of our shared humanity,\u201d said Bates President Garry W. Jenkins in his remarks during today\u2019s Vigil for Grief and Remembrance, held at 4:30 p.m. in Gomes Chapel on the one-week anniversary of the shootings in Lewiston.\n\nLed by the Rev. Brittany Longsdorf, the college\u2019s multifaith chaplain, the vigil gave the campus community an opportunity to come together for silence, candle lighting, poetry, and interfaith prayers, and, ultimately, to share communal grief with their Lewiston community.\nWelcome &amp; Naming Grief: Brittany Longsdorf, \nMultifaith Chaplain and Visiting Lecturer in the Humanities\n\nBates President Garry W. Jenkins Remarks\n\nLewiston Mayor Carl Sheline\u2019s Remarks \n\nInvitation for Sharing: Brittany Longsdorf\n\n*Barry Music* (single floor mic, guitar output)\n\nReading of the Names: Brittany Longsdorf and Raymond Clothier, associate multifaith chaplain\n\u2022\tTricia C. Asselin\n\u2022\tPeyton Brewer-Ross\n\u2022\tWilliam Frank Brackett\n\u2022\tThomas Ryan Conrad\n\u2022\tMichael R. Deslauriers II\n\u2022\tMaxx A. Hathaway\n\u2022\tBryan M. MacFarlane\n\u2022\tKeith D. Macneir\n\u2022\tRonald G. Morin\n\u2022\tJoshua A. Seal\n\u2022\tArthur Fred Strout\n\u2022\tStephen M. Vozzella\n\u2022\tLucille M. Violette\n\u2022\tRobert E. Violette\n\u2022\tJoseph Lawrence Walker\n\u2022\tJason Adam Walker\n\u2022\tWilliam A. Young\n\u2022\tAaron Young\n*moment  of silence* &amp; closing, begin to pass candle lighting \n\nREADINGS (all from Lectern mic unless noted)\nAneeza Ahmad \u201825 of Sharon, Mass., and Alaina Rauf \u201825 of Yarmouth, Me., of the Bates Muslim Student Association \nSophie Leight \u201826 of Easton, Md.\nVenerable Tenzin Dasel, \u201888 - volunteer spiritual advisor and founder of the Maine Mindfulness Project and is an active retreat leader and speaker in the International Network of Engaged Buddhists \nLevi Mindlin \u201824 of Portland, Ore - song (single floor mic, guitar output)\" class=\"wp-image-158164\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_2853.webp 1919w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_2853-400x267.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_2853-900x600.webp 900w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_2853-942x628.jpg 942w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_2853-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_2853-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1919px) 100vw, 1919px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bates seniors Alexa Bowerfind of Portland, Ore., and&nbsp;Phoebe&nbsp;Stern of Nashville, Tenn., comfort one another during the campus vigil in Gomes chapel on Nov. 1, 2023. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Lewiston mayor Carl Sheline echoed that oath of togetherness. Sheline, who said he was on campus by chance on Oct. 25 when the shootings occurred, promised those gathered: \u201cWe will rise together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMost of you, like me, are from away, but while you are here, you belong to us. Lewiston is your city, just as we are sharing in this tragedy,\u201d Sheline said. \u201cWe are not going through separate events, but the same dark time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Lewiston community and Bates students \u201cwill stand shoulder to shoulder\u201d Sheline said, as the area works to heal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Watch the full video of the Vigil for Grief and Remembrance at the Gomes Chapel on Nov. 1<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/event\/3841730\/embed\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In her remarks in the chapel, Longsdorf spoke of the power of sharing grief as a community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSome may think that grieving is weak, or a form of surrender. But I believe that grief is a form of rest and a method of love. When we grieve together like this, in community, we powerfully hold each other and are held. When we grieve, we continue loving amidst loss. When we remember, we root to purpose and commit to change. When we remember, we connect the threads of the dead to how we still want to live our one precious life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The vigil continued as  Longsdorf, with a suede-covered mallet, rimmed a singing bowl, creating a continuous and harmonious sound to open up space for those in attendance to turn to each other and share a few words about how they were feeling. For many, the fear and shock had passed, to be replaced with sorrow, exhaustion, and gratitude for being in community. And safe.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, following a musical interlude, the Rev. Raymond Clothier, associate multifaith chaplain,  read the names of the 18 people killed in the shooting, pausing between each name, while Longsdorf lightly struck the suede-covered mallet on the singing bowl&#8217;s rim, creating a single sustained musical note for each. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1919\" height=\"1279\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1059.webp\" alt=\"\u201cThe brightness that shines through the dark of a tragedy such as we have suffered here in Lewiston, our home, is what it always is in times like these: the immense capacity of our shared humanity,\u201d said Bates President Garry W. Jenkins in his remarks during today\u2019s Vigil for Grief and Remembrance, held at 4:30 p.m. in Gomes Chapel on the one-week anniversary of the shootings in Lewiston.\n\nLed by the Rev. Brittany Longsdorf, the college\u2019s multifaith chaplain, the vigil gave the campus community an opportunity to come together for silence, candle lighting, poetry, and interfaith prayers, and, ultimately, to share communal grief with their Lewiston community.\nWelcome &amp; Naming Grief: Brittany Longsdorf, \nMultifaith Chaplain and Visiting Lecturer in the Humanities\n\nBates President Garry W. Jenkins Remarks\n\nLewiston Mayor Carl Sheline\u2019s Remarks \n\nInvitation for Sharing: Brittany Longsdorf\n\n*Barry Music* (single floor mic, guitar output)\n\nReading of the Names: Brittany Longsdorf and Raymond Clothier, associate multifaith chaplain\n\u2022\tTricia C. Asselin\n\u2022\tPeyton Brewer-Ross\n\u2022\tWilliam Frank Brackett\n\u2022\tThomas Ryan Conrad\n\u2022\tMichael R. Deslauriers II\n\u2022\tMaxx A. Hathaway\n\u2022\tBryan M. MacFarlane\n\u2022\tKeith D. Macneir\n\u2022\tRonald G. Morin\n\u2022\tJoshua A. Seal\n\u2022\tArthur Fred Strout\n\u2022\tStephen M. Vozzella\n\u2022\tLucille M. Violette\n\u2022\tRobert E. Violette\n\u2022\tJoseph Lawrence Walker\n\u2022\tJason Adam Walker\n\u2022\tWilliam A. Young\n\u2022\tAaron Young\n*moment  of silence* &amp; closing, begin to pass candle lighting \n\nREADINGS (all from Lectern mic unless noted)\nAneeza Ahmad \u201825 of Sharon, Mass., and Alaina Rauf \u201825 of Yarmouth, Me., of the Bates Muslim Student Association \nSophie Leight \u201826 of Easton, Md.\nVenerable Tenzin Dasel, \u201888 - volunteer spiritual advisor and founder of the Maine Mindfulness Project and is an active retreat leader and speaker in the International Network of Engaged Buddhists \nLevi Mindlin \u201824 of Portland, Ore - song (single floor mic, guitar output)\" class=\"wp-image-158173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1059.webp 1919w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1059-400x267.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1059-900x600.webp 900w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1059-942x628.jpg 942w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1059-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_Vigil_Chapel_1059-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1919px) 100vw, 1919px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Longsdorf rims a singing bowl to begin a moment of sharing during the vigil. She invited the attendees &#8220;to breath deep, and share with a companion a word or two that speaks to the state of your heart this last week. What words float to the surface for you?&#8221; (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Behind Clothier and Longsdorf, displayed on a table covered with a white cloth, were framed photos of the victims. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tricia C. Asselin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Peyton Brewer-Ross. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>William Frank Brackett. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thomas Ryan Conrad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michael R. Deslauriers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maxx A. Hathaway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bryan M. McFarlane. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keith D. Macnear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ronald G. Morin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Joshua A. Seal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Arthur Fred Strout. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stephen M. Vozzella. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lucille M. Violette. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Robert E. Violette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Joseph Lawrence Walker. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jason Adam Walker. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>William A. Young. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aaron Young.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It took nearly four minutes to read all the names. Then Clothier asked the gathered crowd to hold a minute of silence, for these \u201cbeloveds\u201d and those injured or left behind. \u201cMay their memories guide us forward in love,\u201d he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the way into Gomes, attendees had been given unlit candles to hold. Longsdorf brought a flame&nbsp;from the candles of remembrance on the altar to the first row, and participants in the front row passed it back, the light spreading quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_-2-Vigil_Chapel_1846-900x600.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-158267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_-2-Vigil_Chapel_1846-900x600.webp 900w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_-2-Vigil_Chapel_1846-400x267.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_-2-Vigil_Chapel_1846-942x628.jpg 942w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_-2-Vigil_Chapel_1846-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2023\/11\/231101_-2-Vigil_Chapel_1846.webp 1919w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bates students hold lit candles during the campus vigil in Gomes chapel on Nov. 1, 2023, the one-week anniversary of the Lewiston shootings. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The vigil included two songs performed by singer-guitarists Barry Kilmister \u201924 of Poway, Calif., and Levi Mindlin \u201924 of Portland, Ore., and, later, haunting music played by student cellist Eli Kushner \u201924 of Philadelphia. Eight others read prayers, palms, and poems.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aneeza Ahmad \u201925 of Sharon, Mass., and Alaina Rauf \u201925 of Yarmouth, Maine, who are both members of the Bates Muslim Student Association, read prayers from the Islamic faith to offer hope and solace.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLike all of you, we are so saddened and heartbroken about the recent events that have taken place in our home of Lewiston,\u201d Ahmad began. \u201cAt the same time, we are so, so grateful to have a community and to be part of a community that has held each other&#8217;s hands and endured this really difficult moment together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;This fear will not resolve soon, nor will the emotions subside. That is the burden of our generation. And yet we continue the fight, and we will continue to respond.&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite>Ethan Baker \u201924 reading his poem &#8220;The North Star of Maine&#8221;<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Candlelight filled Gomes by the time the venerable Tenzin Dasel \u201988, a volunteer spiritual advisor to the Bates community and the founder of the Maine Mindfulness Project, welcomed those gathered, calling them \u201cprecious Bates and Lewiston community.\u201d She read from the Dalai Lama\u2019s daily prayer, which reverberated with images of hope and prayers for peace everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students, staff, and faculty cradled their candles as Ethan Baker \u201924 of Jackson, N.H., walked to the podium and offered a personal prayer in the form of a poem he wrote the morning after the shootings, after he experienced the aftermath as a first responder with the Bates Emergency Medical Services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Baker was still on duty when he wrote a poem he titled \u201cThe North Star of Maine.&#8221;&nbsp;The poem concluded: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>This fear will not resolve soon, nor will the emotions subside. That is the burden of our generation. And yet we continue the fight, and we will continue to respond. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>May the power of patience, kindness, and love allow us to find peace in ourselves, in our community, and together we remember those souls who left us for the North Star of Maine.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Generosity and care and eagerness to help, to support, to embrace&#8230;remind us of human goodness. They remind us to hold onto hope,&#8221; said President Garry W. Jenkins during a Vigil for Grief and Remembrance held in Gomes Chapel on the one-week anniversary of the Lewiston shootings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1705,"featured_media":158148,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_hide_ai_chatbot":false,"_ai_chatbot_style":"","associated_faculty":[],"_Page_Specific_Css":"","_bates_restrict_mod":false,"_table_of_contents_display":false,"_table_of_contents_location":"","_table_of_contents_disableSticky":false,"_is_featured":false,"footnotes":"","_bates_seo_meta_description":"","_bates_seo_block_robots":false,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_id":0,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_twitter_id":0,"_bates_seo_share_title":"","_bates_seo_canonical_overwrite":"","_bates_seo_twitter_template":""},"categories":[31,220,11012],"tags":[1312,12339,10830],"class_list":["post-158116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lewiston-auburn","category-service","category-student-life","tag-gomes-chapel","tag-lewiston-tragedy","tag-lewiston-auburn"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1705"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=158116"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158116\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":164252,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158116\/revisions\/164252"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/158148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=158116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=158116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=158116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}