La Salette Vigil Honors Marathon Bombing Victims

La Salette Shrine in Attleboro hosted a vigil Tuesday night to honor and pray for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

"A day filled with laughter and applause for the runners, yet at 2:50 p.m., evil struck Boston's best," said the Rev. Brother Bob Russell, the shrine's director. "Heaven stayed open and rejoiced in the coming of little Martin Richard and two young women, Crystal Campbell and Lu Lingzi. We weep for their absence, yet the angels rejoice for their company."

Russell said he was asked to visit a parishioner named John, who had suffered a serious injury in the terrorist attack.

"I went to his room and knocked on the door, and he said, 'come in;' he did not know I was going to be there," Russell said. "He looked, and he said, 'Bob, thank you for coming, I love you.' When you see a young man with one leg and when you see a mother weeping, my heart went toward them, and I embraced them."

Russell said meeting with the parishioner led to something unexpected.

"John gave me strength," he said. "And I was supposed to give him strength, but he gave me that strength to go on. John was supposed to come tonight, but he'll be back. John was a runner. He said. 'It's not over yet Bob, I want continue to run. I want to run for the Lord, not for anybody else.' I thought that was the most beautiful thing a person could say after seeing one leg off up to the groin. I thank all of you for your support."