If anyone had any doubt about whether St. Peter’s Prep was happy about the visit of Pope Francis to the U.S., a person would only have to walk into the school’s lobby, where a huge banner stood against one wall near a life-sized cutout of the pontiff.
Pope Francis visited the U.S. from Sept. 22 to Sept. 27.
The 143 -year-old all-male private Jesuit high school on Grand Street in Jersey City celebrated the pope’s visit with a number of special events. Although the school previously commemorated a pope by naming its main lobby after Pope John Paul II as well as getting a portion of Grand Street named after him, this visit was different.
“Pope Francis is a very special individual.” – Rob Bulka
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Students throughout the school watched the pope’s appearance before Congress. Six students went to Philadelphia to see the papal address at Independence Hall and later the papal mass, while others went to New York City to see the pope’s appearance at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
To many of the students who watched the pope on TV or posed in the lobby for a selfie with the life-sized cutout, Pope Francis was special. They said they understood as they watched the pontiff’s historic speech before the U.S. Congress that Pope Francis was someone who struck a particular and powerful note with many Catholics.
Prior to the trip, Rob Bulka, a student from Bayonne, said he was excited about going to see Pope Francis in Philadelphia.
“Pope Francis is a very special individual,” Bulka said.
Lucas Coleman, Jr. said students were asked to apply for one of the trips. “Who would not want to see someone like Pope Francis?” he said. “He is a world leader, and very different. I like his message about bringing hope to the poor.”
A number of activities
Students who remained on campus during the pontiff’s visit took part in a variety of activities at the school. These included fundraising for charity events and homeroom discussions about the pope’s agenda.
Among the activities students took part in were a papal flag raising, appearances by ministers, viewing of various public appearances made by the pope, and fund raising for refugees.
Since many of the speeches made by Pope Francis during the trip dealt with some of the most critical contemporary issues, those speeches will become subjects for future lessons as well.
Banners celebrating the papal visit were also placed outside the school as well.
Mura Toomb, who is charge of the campus ministry, acknowledged that this was a special event.
“This is huge,” she said. “We hope our students can get spiritual joy and faith from this visit.”
The 950 students at St Peter’s Prep come from all over Hudson County and 135 different towns in New Jersey, said Director of Marketing and Public Relations Trish Fitzpatrick.
“We have students from all the towns in Hudson County,” she said.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.