By Katie Vasquez
It was quickly becoming the trip of a lifetime for the students at St Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy in Greenpoint, the young Catholics celebrating the Jubilee year in Rome.
“We went to all the holy doors. We saw a piece of the wood from Jesus’s manger, which was really, really cool,” said Susan Felkner, a 7th grader.
Attending Easter Sunday mass at the Vatican, and then receiving a blessing from Pope Francis.
“A moment of peace because someone so important, like the pope, who was so close to God, was like there with us,” said Angelina Hartley, a 7th grader.
They considered themselves lucky, getting the chance to see the holy father up close.
“Got the view of a lifetime because he was there, and obviously, you wait, you’re trying to wave and be acknowledged,” said Frank P Carbone, the president of the Brooklyn school.
Little did they know that one day later, that moment in St Peter’s Square would hold so much more meaning.
“Well, there was bells, church bells going off. There were cannons going off. So, I mean, you knew this was enormous. You could hear it all throughout Rome,” said Donna DeLuca, the director of admissions.
The young Catholics learned the pope had died that Easter Monday morning.In their grief, they decided to stop and pray.
“We all, like, huddled together and listened to the bells and were praying hail mary’s for him and, just paying our respects,” said Sophia Perella, an 8th grader.
Their trip to Rome, now a tribute to the holy father. They waited four hours at St Peter’s Basilica, just to see Pope Francis, and say goodbye.
“You saw him laying there in state and knowing that you saw him two days before, it was very powerful, very powerful,” said Carbone.
While they are saddened at the loss of the holy father, they are happy to have one lasting memory with the late pontiff.
“Our whole group was really lucky because we got to see him on one of his last days of life. and, I knew that he went straight to heaven because he was such a great pope and everything,” said Sophia Perella.
“Well, it was like it was a once in a lifetime thing, and I feel it’s gonna, like, make me a better catholic,” said Emma Perella, a 6th grader.
It was an Easter Sunday these kids know they’ll never forget.