Berkeley: Families united by an ocean of tears

Messages of solidarity continue to bridge the ocean of tears stretching between Ireland and the US as the families of the students lost in the Berkeley tragedy prepare to bring their loved ones home.

A moving memorial service at University College Dublin heard that while eight hours of time difference and 8,000km of distance separated those lost from those who mourned, the bonds of love and friendship kept them close.

“The sense of community, of communion, has been profound,” said college chaplain Fr Leon Ó Giolláin, who is ministering to the grieving in Ireland, while fellow chaplain Fr John McNerney is providing support to the bereaved and injured in Berkeley