.- Students from Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic School in Staten Island are counting the days until their encounter with Pope Benedict XVI in New York, when they will give him 600 hand-made rosaries as a gift.
According to press reports, the children are setting aside time each day to make the rosaries that will be given as gifts during the Pope’s encounter with young people in Yonkers at St. Joseph’s Seminary.
The school sends rosaries twice a year to places as far as Iraq or to nearby homes for the elderly.
“When we go on the bus we will hand out the rosaries for people to pray and if we can we will give them to the Pope,” said Cesar Fernandez, a seventh grade student.
Like his classmates, Cesar says he is very excited to see the Pope. “I never thought I would be able to meet him, I have only seen him on the calendar my grandma has here in Staten Island,” he said.
