In the face of devastating suicides recorded in newspapers and experienced in ordinary neighborhoods and families, the Boston University School of Theology (STH) offers the prayer below to remember young people who have been bullied because of their sexual orientation.

We are a community that seeks to love others, cry out against violence, and work toward justice, while recognizing diverse theological and social positions. During these days, we are troubled by acts of hate, violence, the ignoring of violence, and a failure of justice for young lives. Our prayer is a cry of pain and hope!

Let us Remember

That we are in the Holy presence of God

God of Compassion and Mercy,

God of Just Love and Loving Justice,

God of Promise in times of loss,

And Hope in times of despair,

We pray to you with our cries of anguish. Time for us to stand together and say, No!

NO to the death of 15-year-old Billy Lucas after months of being tormented by his peers for his sexual orientation. He took his life in September 2010!

NO to the untimely death of Tyler Clementi, who jumped from the George Washington Bridge in response to persistent bullying directed toward him because he was gay!

NO to the death of Phoebe Prince in January 2010 after being bullied!

NO to violence against young, beautiful people – violence against their sacred humanity and their hopes for the future!

No to the killings of over 91 reported transgender people in 2015!

NO to those who witness bullying, even participate in it, and do nothing to end it!

God of Compassion and Mercy,

God of Just Love and Loving Justice,

God of Promise in times of loss,

And Hope in times of despair,

We pray to you with our cries of hope – YES!

YES to Brittany McMillan – the Canadian teenager who launched Spirit Day (October 20) so people would join together in wearing purple to honor gay people who had been abused and had consequently taken their lives!

YES to the School of Theology Students who wore purple and promised to witness for human care and against bullying and violence!

YES to Dan Savage who launched the “It Gets Better Project” and a YouTube channel to spread stories of hope for LGBT young people!

YES to those who witness for human compassion for all peoples while holding wide-ranging views on faith and homosexuality!

YES to those who search their own souls to discover when they have bullied, violated, or hated others, seeking then to become life-supporters for those they have violated.

YES to You, God, whose compassion is wider than the universe;

HELP us to see what you see,

To know more profoundly,

To act more courageously,

To live more humbly,

And to follow you toward LIFE!

AMEN!

Saint John Baptist de La Salle

Pray for us

Live Jesus in our hearts

Forever