At the Cross her vigil keeping  
Stood the mournful mother weeping
Close to Jesus to the last

Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain
In that mother’s pain untold

By the cross with you we stay
There with you to weep and pray
Is all I ask of you to give

              Stabat Mater Dolorosa
  13^th Century Hymn

In the early summer evening in Sydney, Australia on February 1, 2020, 7 children-brothers, sisters, and cousins set off to walk to the nearby local shops to buy ice-cream.

The children were talking and giggling as they set out -four of them never returned home.

Siblings, Antony (13), Angelina (12) and Sienna (9) Abdullah and their cousin Veronique (11) Sakr, were killed instantly when a large utility truck, driven by a young man high on cocaine and heavily intoxicated and travelling at an excessively high speed, veered to the wrong side of the road, mounted the kerb and ploughed into the 7 children, scattering their bodies up to seventeen metres...

Postscript:

'Samuel William Davidson was sentenced to a maximum of 28 years behind bars with 21 years non parole at Parramatta District Court on Friday, 9 April 2021...

Davidson sat in the dock listening with his head bowed [while his] apology letter was read in court in which he promised to not touch alcohol or drugs in the future, and proclaimed he never wanted to drive a car again.

“It breaks my heart that I have hurt this beautiful family and I am responsible for this horrible accident,” he wrote.

“Waking up every day knowing I am responsible for all this … is the worst punishment and will never go away.

“I would do anything to relive that day and be sober and never leave the house.”

Source: News.com.au

Spanish translation using DeepL Translator. Traducción al español con DeepL Translator

Carmel McDonough is an Australian Sister of Mercy of the North Sydney Congregation.

Currently she is the Director of Mission at Monte Sant’ Angelo  Mercy College  

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