Parishioners offer forgiveness, support after South San Francisco church shooting

But in the roughly one month since it occurred, the Catholic church hasn’t seen as precipitous of a drop in attendance as anticipated. In fact, despite its official closure the day after, many volunteers and staff chose to show up the next day, and mass resumed in person two days after. 

That’s not because congregants have brushed aside what happened, Vivian Ramos, vice president of the church, said. Instead, it’s illustrative of how members felt most comfortable coping with such an incident. 

“I was surprised there were so many people on the day that we opened. That was very courageous. For some, it’s a devotion to the mass,” she said. “The other thing is that there could be some trauma for others, and there is sadness because how could this happen to our church? There is also relief, because we got lucky.”

Ramos was nearby when the shooting occurred and didn’t think twice about heading to the church immediately after hearing about it. Since then, she said she’s only seen emboldened faith and support among parishioners. 

The outlook could have been different though if the suspect hadn’t been quickly captured or if he had maneuvered his way inside. The church, located on Callan Boulevard in the Westborough neighborhood, held a funeral service after its 9 a.m. mass that day, which ended a little after 1 p.m.

Susan Madrid, a parishioner and mass coordinator, said some members, such as herself, would usually stay to help clean up the outside entrance area after such events but decided to wait until the next day to tidy up. The decision may have saved her and others’ lives, as the incident occurred less than 30 minutes later. 

It was also fortunate that the shooter hadn’t scoped the area prior, as a side entrance had been unlocked the entire time. 

Despite continuous participation, such an affront to a beloved place of worship has had its consequences. Father Ray Reyes, St. Augustine’s pastor, said weekly religion classes and programs mostly remain virtual, as families with young children still express hesitancy with in-person instruction, and consoling the two women inside the building at the time of the shooting reinforced the need for heightened support. Staff have also been in regular communication with law enforcement to enhance security on the property and learn how to conduct intruder trainings, something they previously didn’t foresee as a necessity. 

“When you think about churches, people feel it’s safe. That’s their safe haven,” Ramos said.

Reyes, who was out of the country that day, said this has propelled more reflection over gaps in societal care and also instilled a sense of gratitude for one another. 

“It’s a bigger problem we see in our country, where mental health becomes a crisis. … It’s  time we consider it as a priority,” he said. “But in an incident like this, it has also helped us to appreciate one another. When we are back to our normal, you don’t go deep and see how people are really doing. Now I see that’s more pronounced in terms of people’s connections and care for one another.”

The church is also holding a consecration service, led by Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, on March 10 as a way to bless the church again. Ramos said she remains impressed with how well parishioners have demonstrated their willingness to apply their faith and principles through action.

“People are moving forward. There was a group that said, ‘we want to write letters to the person who did this, so he knows he’s forgiven,’” she said. “Charity is forgiving those who hurt us, and at the same time, comforting those who are afflicted, which is our parishioners.”