School Year Off to Sacred Start With Pope Francis On Site

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When your homework is His Holiness, there are no wrong answers.

A number of students across the archdiocese have happily spent their summer studying up on the 265th successor to St. Peter before he visits them Sept. 25 at Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem.

In addition to the 24 third- and fourth-graders from Queen of Angels and three other elementary schools who, accompanied by their principals, will meet with Pope Francis in a classroom, 12 high school students will line the hallway of that classroom to greet the pope.

It was in mid-August when Veronica DiPaul of John S. Burke Catholic High School in Goshen found out her senior year was already off to a successful start. “I got a call from my religion teacher asking if I wanted to go meet the pope. I thought he was joking.”

He wasn’t. “He started talking plans and transportation and I realized, this is real,” she said.

“It’s a really big honor,” continued 17-year-old Veronica. “I’m really excited and very happy to represent Burke.”

Veronica is well aware of the responsibility that accompanies representing her high school. “I take this very seriously,” she said.

In choosing Veronica, the principal, John Dolan, cited her intellect and involvement in Church and school activities. “Veronica is a wonderfully kind and bright student. She and her entire family are devoted members of their church and truly embody the Burke motto of ‘Not words, but deeds.’”

Nicholas DiGrandi of John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers also considers it “an extreme honor” to represent his school in greeting the Holy Father. “When you see what he’s done in his lifetime, in the slums, in increasing Church presence, the qualities that you can learn from him aren’t just of a pope or a priest or anything, he’s just so charitable and I think anybody can take example and learn from him.”

When his school president called him last month, Nicholas was not only surprised to learn he was selected to meet the pope but that he would be the sole representative among all the students from his school. “I know I have to represent my school well, and I know that I have to take what I learn from him and bring it back to my school.”

Classes began just last week but 18-year-old Nicholas is already certain “this will be the highlight” of his senior year.

In choosing Nicholas, his school president/principal, Father Mark G. Vaillancourt, noted “Nicholas is well respected by the faculty, administration and student body for his poise, character and Christian values.”

But before Pope Francis steps inside Our Lady Queen of Angels, 250 students and chaperones—representing Catholic elementary schools in Manhattan—will collectively welcome him on the sidewalk in front of the school, located at 229 E. 112th St.

Dr. Timothy J. McNiff, superintendent of schools for the archdiocese, will personally greet Pope Francis outside the school upon the pontiff’s arrival late Friday afternoon.

“The excitement at our Catholic schools is palpable and is only building as we get closer to the visit from Pope Francis,” Dr. McNiff said. “We represent almost 70,000 children from pre-k through the 12th grade, and have a long history of providing a doorway out of poverty for recent immigrants, the underserved, and all families who want their children to experience the nurturing environment, excellent academics and faith-based values that Catholic schools provide.”

The significance of the pope’s speaking with third- and fourth-graders is that those youngsters have already received their First Holy Communion and understand they are responsible for their actions in caring for others and in caring for the environment, he explained.

The four elementary schools, and their principals, are: St. Charles Borromeo, Harlem, Aleeya Francis; St. Ann, East Harlem, Hope Mueller; St. Paul, East Harlem, Dr. Joseph Muscente, and Our Lady Queen of Angels, Joanne Walsh. Dr. Muscente will also accompany on keyboard the “Prayer of St. Francis” all 24 children will sing for Pope Francis.

There is no formal program scheduled. Time will be devoted to Pope Francis’ interactions with the school children and the youngsters’ sharing with him the projects their schools are working on in his honor.

“These inner-city schools represent both new immigrant populations from Latin America and established ones from around the world, representing a diverse cross-section of families and traditions that is uniquely ‘New York’, and one that is close to the heart of the Holy Father,” Dr. McNiff said.

“Children in schools across the archdiocese are eagerly awaiting the pope’s visit and are studying his life and special concerns. We are all blessed to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Joanne Walsh, principal of Queen of Angels, said “reality is starting to set in” about the pope’s upcoming arrival. “It’s just a wonderful opportunity,” she said, “and it’s a wonderful event to look forward to—a visit from our Holy Father.”

“Everybody is extremely excited—from the kindergarten students who are learning all about Pope Francis and they feel that he is a very good priest,” she said, “to some of the older students that really are listening to his message, and what’s resonating with them the most has to do with his heart for the poor and his focus on sustaining and protecting the environment.”

She noted that the Holy Father’s presence at Queen of Angels is for the benefit of all the school children across the archdiocese. “We’re well aware of the fact that we’ve been blessed with this opportunity, but what we’re representing is many, many more schools in the archdiocese who, each and every day, serve the children. We’re just a representation of wonderful things that go on each and every day in all of our schools.”

The 12 high schools, and the student from each selected to line the hallway, are: Albertus Magnus, Bardonia, Patrick McAvoy; Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, Brandon Cabaleiro; John S. Burke Catholic, Goshen, Veronica DiPaul; Cardinal Hayes, the Bronx, Daniel Kwaku Afrifa; Cardinal Spellman, the Bronx, Tiffany Lee; Cathedral High School, Manhattan, Danielle Armato; John F. Kennedy Catholic, Somers, Nicholas DiGrandi; Maria Regina, Hartsdale, Kara Fragola; Msgr. Farrell, Staten Island, Richard Portas; Moore Catholic, Staten Island, Stephanie Smallridge; Our Lady of Lourdes, Poughkeepsie, Julie Costigan, and St. Joseph by-the-Sea, Staten Island, Robert Ruszkowski.