In churches and stadiums, Americans mourn school shooting victims The New England Patriots were wearing a special logo honoring the victims in Newtown, Conn., at a school near where the Patriots' owners operate a factory. Americans came together in the thousands Sunday to honor the memories of the 26 victims of the shootings at a Connecticut High School. President Barack Obama was traveling to Connecticut to meet with the victims' families and to speak at an interfaith vigil Sunday night at Newtown High School. This Sunday was Gaudete Sunday, the Advent observance of joy and celebration, but in churches and cathedrals across the country, the message was one of reassurance and comfort for the distressed and the afflicted. Hundreds of people signed a book of condolences and prayed special prayers Sunday morning at Our Lady of the Cross Parish in Holyoke, Mass. "I lost a little child once, just a matter of days old, and that's still with me although it's 50 years later," Paula Brunault of Holyoke told NBC station WWLP of Springfield, Mass. I just know that prayers surround the people, really and truly. It's the best thing we can do for them," she said. At a Mass for families with small children at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, Wilton D. Gregory, the archbishop of Atlanta, said, "We ask that the Father who chose to give us His son born as a poor infant in Bethlehem will also give those people comfort, solace and faith at this time of incredible sorrow. Full coverage: Tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary "We pray for our nation that once again has been stunned by senseless violence will resolve to take those steps that will safeguard all of us in the future so that the respect and dignity of each person - no matter what their age or circumstance - will be secured," Gregory said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Lanza was student at school where he killed 26, shot mom multiple times More than 150 chaplains of the Law Enforcement Chaplaincy of Sacramento, Calif., dressed in full police uniform Sunday and visited churches, restaurants and shopping malls to offer hope. A twin, talented teachers, a jazzman's daughter: Portraits of the victims At Bayside Church, an Evangelical Covenant megachurch in Roseville, Calif., Senior Chaplain Mindi Russell told thousands of families who packed inside to pray for the victims and families of Friday's massacre. Russell said it was understandable that children were asking why the shooting happened and why so many people were killed. As families hugged one another and prayed for the violence to end, Russell reassured the congregation that while there are bad people in the world, there are many more good people, NBC station KCRA of Sacramento reported. NFL teams also honored the shooting victims, lowering flags to half-staff and observing a moment of silence before all of Sunday's games. Some teams brought young children onto the field, and players - many of them visibly moved - stood hand in hand with them. The New England Patriots - whose owner, Robert Kraft, also owns a box company that has a factory less than a mile from Sandy Hook Elementary School - were to wear black-ribbon logos on their helmets for Sunday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers. The Patriots also planned to 26 white flares - one for each of the victims - at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The New York Giants were wearing decals bearing the letters SHES - standing for Sandy Hook Elementary School - on their helmets Sunday for their game in Atlanta against the Falcons. Coach Tom Coughlin told NFL.com that his team had been "very, very much affected" by the shootings. The New York Jets were to wear the same decal Monday night for their game against the Tennessee Titans.