Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

Youth and young adults gathered at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church on November 12 to light candles and remember victims of violence. The Service of Remembrance, an annual event, honors these victims and their families, drawing parishioners, clergy members, religious sisters, and the wider community.

Karen Sears shared her personal story during the service. Her son, Tremont Tobin, was killed by a family friend on Father's Day in 2022. "I never thought that, as a mother, I’d bury my own child … my own baby boy," she expressed to those present. The murder was recorded on a doorbell camera, leading to the conviction and sentencing of Tobin's killer on October 31, 2024.

Sears attended the service with Tobin’s oldest child and noted how it provided her some solace. "This service helps me feel like I’m not alone. It helps me with closure," she said in an interview following the event.

Father George Otuma, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, emphasized the significance of addressing violence during his opening prayer. “Let’s take this day to pray for our healing, and make a sincere pledge to end this violence amongst ourselves. …. And let love reign,” he stated.

The congregation was led by Father William Bowling from St. Martin de Porres and Holy Name churches in reciting a pledge of nonviolence: “In the name of the God of peace and nonviolent Jesus, I pledge today to live, practice, and teach the nonviolence of Jesus...”

The Archdiocese of Louisville’s Office of Multicultural Ministry organized the service along with several parishes including Christ the King, Good Shepherd, Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Augustine, St. Martin de Porres and St. William.