MANSFIELD, Ohio — High school and junior high students from St. Peter’s Parish and School prayed for the pope and for world peace Wednesday morning during the nationally recognized prayer event, “See You At The Pole.”
“Give Pope Francis safe travels and be with him as he visits the states,” prayed Chaplain Charlie Henrich among students, teachers and administration. The group joined hands and formed a circle outside of the high school’s front doors.
Pope Francis landed on U.S. soil for the first time on Tuesday at 4 p.m. He will stay in the states for a six-day visit in which he will speak on social, political and economic issues.
According to Henrich, the school has participated in “See You At The Pole” for many years. The nationally recognized event has prompted students to meet for prayer every fourth Wednesday in September since 1990.
It started with ten students who decided to pray for their friends, families, teachers, school and nation, according to their website.
“We here at St. Peter’s, of course, pray all the time, but we always join in each year with the national See You At The Pole prayer day. So we’re out here publicly proclaiming our faith and having a little prayer service on the steps of St. Peter’s high school,” said Henrich.
Henrich said the pope was on their minds during the prayer.
“It’s good that we happen to have our pope here with us in the United States. So we will keep him in mind this entire week while he’s here. This is a good little kick off for him as he begins,” said Henrich.
During the prayer, ninth-graders Nick Todd and Gavin Wesley stood with the American flag and the papal flag on each side of the Peace Pole.
The Peace Pole, Henrich explained, reads “May Peace Prevail On Earth” in four different languages. World peace was a topic during the morning’s prayer.
Principal Michael Wasiniak cited St. Peter’s prayer which reads, “Grant, moreover, that we may follow, in all humility and meekness, her teaching and her advice, and may be obedient to all her precepts, in order to be able here on earth to enjoy a peace that is sure and undisturbed, and to attain one day in heaven to everlasting happiness. Amen.”
As regular practice, the school prays about five or six times daily, said Henrich. He said he believes God listens to prayers.
“We’re calling on God to be with us and to continue to shower his blessings upon us,” said Henrich. “We have an attitude of thankfulness and he asks us to ask him for things and we do that around here. We do have faith that he does respond to our prayers.”
