WESTFIELD – For several students at Saint Mary High School, a whirlwind trip to Washington, D.C. last week was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see history close-up.
Congressman Richard E. Neal, (D-Mass.), had made arrangements for 26 students and four teachers within the Springfield Diocese to view the historic address of Pope Francis to a joint meeting of Congress on Thursday morning. Students from Saint Mary’s included Alexis Shedd and Emmalina Toma, both sophomores, and Drew Collins and Will Lucardi, both juniors, along with theology teacher Carol Lisella. Students from Cathedral High School in Wilbraham, St. Joseph Central High School in Pittsfield, and Holyoke Catholic High School in Chicopee also participated in the trip which included reserved seats on the lawn of the Capitol.
The students left the Springfield area on a Peter Pan bus on Wednesday at 10 p.m. and arrived in Washington, D.C. at 5:30 a.m. on Thursday.
“The security gates opened at 5 a.m. at the Capitol and it was packed already when we arrived,” said Lisella.
At 10 a.m., Francis began his address and the students and teachers were able to view the proceedings from big screens on the lawn of the Capitol. During his 51-minute speech, Francis touched on several key topics including abolishing the death penalty, acting on climate change, giving hope to those trapped in a cycle of poverty, defending human life, and stressing the importance of family and marriage. Just after 11 a.m., Francis addressed the crowd outside from the balcony and blessed everyone.
“It was really special,” said Lisella.
The remainder of the afternoon was spent enjoying pizza and Buffalo wings in Neal’s office, taking a tour of the Capitol with Neal, and then enjoying two hours at the museums.
“We were back on the bus at 5 p.m.,” said Lisella.
While the trip may have only lasted just over 24 hours, the memories and profound moments will stay with these students throughout their lives.
“I wanted to make this trip because seeing Pope Francis embodies everything that we believe in, and how we should live our lives,” said Shedd. “I knew that when I was there I would be able to see not only how Pope Francis would affect my life but how he would affect the lives of all the people surrounding me.”
Shedd added that her favorite memories will include Francis blessing everyone on the lawn as well as one of his statements to the multitudes.
“I will always remember Pope Francis saying ‘God bless America,’” said Shedd. “Every time he said ‘God bless America’ I could feel the power and connection with those around me and also with God.”
Collins echoed those sentiments.“Going to witness Pope Francis address Congress was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Collins. “He had much to say and I really enjoyed what he was addressing to our country. All of what he mentioned in his speech was meant to not only get a point across to Congress, but also to the people of the United States.”
Collins also noted that the experience meant a lot to him spiritually.
“Listening to what Pope Francis had to say was truly something to deeply consider,” he said. “It made me think a lot more about certain things – one in particular being my faith. I definitely saw another side to it all after witnessing his speech. I now realize how important some things are that I did not fully recognize before this trip.”
Collins too acknowledged the profound moment of seeing Francis on the balcony.
“The one lasting moment that I will always remember is when Pope Francis was done with his speech and came out to greet the crowd,” he said. “That was when he blessed all of us and that, in my opinion, was truly remarkable. Being blessed by the Pope is not something everyone can say that happened to them.”
While Michael Hourihan, Dean of Students, did not participate in the trip, he knew it was important for students to see Francis.
“As students in a Catholic school, this is the rarest of opportunities to be with the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church,” said Hourihan. “They were so excited to be chosen to attend, to represent our school, and to be in the presence of a holy but genuinely humble Pope.”
Fr. Chris Fedoryshyn, Associate Pastor at Saint Mary’s, concurred.
“It was a tremendous opportunity for the students of Saint Mary High School to be present at an historical event of great significance for both the Church and our country,” he said. “They were eager to see Pope Francis and hear his message.”
For Lisella, who follows Francis on Twitter in her theology classes, she said the time spent at the Capitol will be immeasurable for her students.
“What a privilege it was to have the opportunity to be in the Holy Father’s presence,” said Lisella. “As a Catholic he is an affirmation of how important my faith is to my life and how it has and still guides me through good and bad times. It was truly an honor. I feel very blessed.”
