Our Lady of Lourdes School remembers John Paul II

On April 2, 2005, the world lost a wonderful humanitarian, Man of God, and friend of all peoples and cultures.

On Friday, the day of Pope John Paul 11's funeral, Our Lady of Lourdes Staff and Students gathered together in prayer for a Liturgy of the Word in his memory.

A beautiful tapestry of the pope which was created by the great-grandmother of Liam Aguiar, and Billy and Jakob McCleary, and donated to the school before Christmas, was placed on a table with flowers and the lighted candle. Jakob carried a smaller picture of the pope into the gym, as Kassidy Plourde accompanied him with a lighted blessed candle. Shown in the picture are Kassidy and Jakob in front of the Easter bulletin board which is depicting the Risen Christ. The principal, Claire Richard, stated that it was fitting for our Shepherd and spiritual leader to have died during the first week of Easter, because as Catholics, we are an Easter people.

Within the liturgy of the word, songs were sung which were among the favorites of our deceased pope, as Betty Gillman accompanied the staff and student body on the guitar to the melody of Amazing Grace and the Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.

The principal stressed the thanks that we all give in the spirit of gratitude, for the gift of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul, a man of wisdom, and gentle caring; a man who had great love for the youth of the world, and for the poor and downtrodden. His life was truly dedicated to God and His people.

Pictured beside the table of prayerful artifacts are students representing every grade and class in the school. The service ended with a prayer for those cardinals involved in the process and the election of a new pope, as well as, for the newly chosen pope.