by Cathy Slade

An overcast evening and a change of venue did not prevent over 70 concerned residents, police, family members, and friends of domestic-violence victims from attending an October 14th candlelight vigil, held to coincide with National Domestic Violence Prevention Month. With inclement weather forecasted, organizers moved the event from Adams Park to the nearby Roslindale Congregational Church on Cummins Highway.

Organized by the Healthy Roslindale Coalition, the vigil was the second one held in Roslindale. Tragically, three Roslindale residents had fallen victim to domestic violence between December 2002 and April 2003. The vigils are a way to remember them and to come together as a community to make a stand against this abuse.

Antonia Chronis, chairperson of the Healthy Roslindale Coalition and head of its Task Force on Domestic Violence, opened the ceremony with remarks about breaking the chain of silence that surrounds this insidious crime. Pastor Dave Rozewski of the Roslindale Congregational Church welcomed participants to his sanctuary and urged all to remember the victims and to speak out against domestic violence.

Leaders of the worshippers at Temple Vietnam on Bradeen Street, Chi Nguyen, and his wife Bich, current president of the Buddhist Association of Massachusetts, then read a "Discourse on Love" from the "Metta Sutta, Sutta Nipata I" which included the passage, "Let no one do harm to anyone. Let no one put the life of anyone in danger. Let no one, out of anger or ill will, wish anyone any harm."

Next, Linda Burnett, a local activist and a member of the Task Force on Domestic Violence, came forward and told the story of how she had just run into a visitor from South Carolina on her way into the vigil. He was inspired by the sense of community and caring here in Roslindale. Linda stressed that domestic violence hurt,,, the entire cormmunity and that it happens in the workplace, as well as in families. She stated that all should be concerned about this issue and should do their part to be open and vocal about it.

Then Reverend Karen Peters from Bethany United Methodist Church gave a beautiful and inspiring talk about the power of love and its effect over people. She reminded those assembled that this power should not be used in a damaging way, that violence is against God's wishes, and that love is never expressed with a fist, the back of a hand, or a weapon. Urging each participant to be a voice of love, Rev. Peters cautioned that we give violence its power when we do not speak out against it.

Lolita Collins, a domestic violence specialist from the Department of Transition Services in Lynn, relayed a story of being with a group of toddlers when a two-year old became frustrated with a situation and reacted violently toward another child. Acknowledging the behavior was very disturbing to see, she asked herself how the child could have reacted in such a manner and concluded that the child must have witnessed this aggressive behavior in the home. Ms. Collins stressed that domestic violence is a learned behavior and that the cycle of violence is continued when people witness violent acts and remain silent. To be able to break the cycle, those who understand this must intervene and educate themselves and others.

Next came the lighting of the candles in remembrance of the twenty-one victims in Massachusetts who had died at the hands of domestic violence this year and the three previous victims from Roslindale. Upon entering the church, a candle had been given to everyone, with twenty-four of them receiving special candles and information about the tragic endings of the lives of the victims.

Those twenty-four people came forward one at a time to read about the situations that had led to the death of the victims. As a drum beat softly and reverently in the background, they lighted their candles from a large central one. Immediately afterward, the entire audience came forward to light their candles from the fire of the twenty-four representing the victims.

The lights in the church were turned off as the audience silently reflected. Then Sister Roseann Amico, CSJ, a Roslindale native, led everyone in a heartfelt and prayerful rendition of the. hymn, "Let There Be Peace on Earth."

Sister Nancy Braceland, CSJ, of Casserly House on Stellman Road concluded the ceremony. Putting out the flames of the twenty-four candles as a symbolic reference to the victims' lives that were snuffed out, Sister left those present with a call for individual and collective action. She stated that all are responsible for spreading the word about domestic violence and for being beacons of hope signaling that this behavior will not be tolerated.

This vigil was a very solemn occasion, one that will remain in my memory for years to come. Part of what made the ceremony so memorable was the church setting. Organizers had wanted to have a public witness of the event, and thus, had planned to hold it in the most public and well-known space in Roslindale, the Village's Adams Park. The threat of bad weather and a resulting decision to move the event indoors to the closest space within viewing distance of the Park led to the church setting, which seemed to change the tone of the event. Free from traffic, noise and other distractions, the audience became very focused on the speakers and activities, lending an added aura of solemnity, meditation, and grace.

The program was put together by the Healthy Roslindale Coalition Task Force on Domestic Violence whose members include Sister Nancy Braceland, Linda Burnett, Antonia Chronis, Amy Helburn, and Cathy Slade. This vigil may be one of the most visible and highly publicized of the activities planned throughout the community to prevent domestic violence.

The Healthy Roslindale Coalition is continually presenting small group workshops in both English and Spanish to provide citizens with the warning signs of domestic violence and to educate them regarding the resources available if they or a loved one should suffer from this horrible crime. Healthy Roslindale is committed to working on preventing domestic violence in our community and to honoring Domestic Violence Prevention Month yearly. Please plan to participate in next year's candlelight vigil.