Seven others were injured in the incident after the collapse which saw them fall 50 feet the pavement.
Father Aidan McAleenan told the congregation at Oakland's Cathedral in Berkeley that family members are focussing on their loved ones rather than on the cause of the tragedy at the moment.
He said: "We may well wonder and want to lash out and talk about the balcony and who built it.
"But at the end of the day what (families) want the most is to see their loved ones.
"They want to touch them, they want to hold them and they want to kiss them."
Some families arrived from Ireland and were met by representatives from the Irish Consulate.
The Mayor of Berkeley, Tom Bates, has reported that the balcony collapse appears to have been caused by rotted wooden beams.
He said investigators believe the wood was not sealed properly at the time of construction and was damaged by moisture as a result.
The Irish students were working and travelling in the US over the summer and Philip Grant, Ireland's San Francisco-based consul general said: "For many of my countrymen, this is a favourite experience, and to have this happen at the start of the season has left us frozen in shock."
The Catholic Bishop of Oakland, California has also offered his condolences.
Bishop Michael Barber SJ has expressed his sorrow that this tragedy occurred and offered an assurance of continued prayers for all those affected.
He has also told Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, Ireland, that the priests and diocesan staff in Oakland are providing all the support they can to people impacted by the events Berkeley.
