by Katie Vasquez
Parishioners at Our Lady of Mercy Church were praying out loud for a better world, starting with the Holy Land.
“We hope that peace will be restored to the very areas that Jesus himself preached in, walked in, taught in, so that was one of our intentions,” said Msgr. John McGuirl, temporary administrator of Our Lady of Mercy.
Dozens of children and adults formed a living rosary outside Our Lady of Mercy on Sunday, Oct. 22.
“When war broke out in the Holy Land, we said what a perfect tribute to Our Lady to pray for her sons and daughters in the Holy Land,” Fabienne Danies, a parishioner at the church, said.
The war is 5,000 miles away but it’s on the minds of many in Forest Hills.
“In a neighborhood where we have many Jewish brothers and sisters, [we want] to pray for peace in Israel that the hostages be returned unharmed,” Msgr. McGuirl said.
It’s a most important prayer for children, by children, that history doesn’t keep repeating.
“It’s really important because if you have more peace in the world, maybe the world would be a little bit better and more safe,”said Madeline Sands, a student at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy.
“It helps someone get to know each other more, for example say like someone is hurting someone and then they, like, make peace and then they become friends,” said Xavier Guanco, another student at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy.
The living rosary will continue until the fighting ends.