Fr. Marciano ’75 and Mr. DeCiccio ’03 reflect on this week’s attack on the U.S. Capitol
Contact: Christian Kabbas ’14, Sr. Manager, Communications & Marketing, ckabbas@hendricken.com
WARWICK, RI (January 8, 2021) – The following is a statement from Fr. Robert L. Marciano, KHS ’75, President, and Mr. Mark R. DeCiccio ’03, Principal, regarding the attack on the U.S. Capitol this week:
In reflecting on the last few days of turmoil, strife, and pain in our country, we want to make our position as a Catholic community perfectly clear. We join Christians and fellow citizens of good will across the nation in strongly condemning these violent insurrectionists while praying for those who were injured, or sadly, lost their lives.
Wednesday’s siege of the United States Capitol left us in disbelief. We watched in horror and dismay as domestic terrorists attacked the very seat of our democratic republic. Not only did this attack inspire violence, but it also served as a direct assault on the foundation of our democracy. The actions of the radicals in this crowd were nothing short of reprehensible, and we know, they are not at all congruent with our values as Catholics and Americans.
From the abasement of the Capitol to the wielding of weapons and hateful symbols, everything we saw in the violence perpetrated in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday flies in the face of what we believe as a Catholic school. A person’s right to peacefully protest is our country’s lifeblood, and we recall the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who peacefully and prayerfully changed the nation. In this season of the Prince of Peace, we restate our commitment to educational dialogue and advocacy of the marginalized. As Hendricken men, it is our duty to recognize, acknowledge, and work to remedy bias in all forms, and condemn acts of hatred, in order to become a more inclusive community, and therefore, ensure peace and justice for all.
Above all else, let us make one point perfectly clear: the betterment of our nation starts right here, with us. Our hope is that students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of Bishop Hendricken enact positive change in ourselves and in our communities, however small, to promote unity. We will continue to do our part educationally in the classroom, socially in dialogue, and spiritually in prayer.
May God continue to bless our Bishop Hendricken family, and bless this nation that we love and call home.
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