St. Michael students pray in chapel named for Mother Teresa

In the summer of 1976, when Mother Teresa of Calcutta was looking for a place to spend the night in New Orleans during her Bicentennial trip to the United States, she requested lodging that would offer not only a room in which to sleep, but that also had an adoration chapel where she could spend time in prayer.

The School Sisters of Notre Dame, the founders of St. Michael Special School, told Mother Teresa they had just the place on their Chippewa Street campus, and she gratefully accepted their offer.

Now bearing the name of its special visitor from 1976, the chapel – a large space dominated by statues of St. Michael the Archangel and the Blessed Mother – is visited by every St. Michael student for 10 to 15 minutes every school day for prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

“They’re very devout children. There’s not a lot that we have to teach them, in terms of the prayers,” said Becky Francione, acting co-principal. “They have their own sincere relationship with the Blessed Mother, Jesus and God, and they actually teach us. They’re dear, dear.”

The rosary is taught “very simply,” Francione said. All students join in morning and evening prayers over the loudspeaker and have a daily religion class.

“The vast majority of our children know the entire morning and evening prayers, which includes the ‘Hail Mary’ and ‘The Guardian Angel Prayer,’” Francione said. “They’ll come in with their little special intentions, and the class will pray along with them.”

In addition to the daily chapel visits, every St. Michael student has a rosary at school and attends weekly Masses in the chapel with his class, led by Capuchin Franciscan Father Teodoro Agudo, pastor of St. Theresa of Avila.

On Oct. 7, as young Catholics around the globe joined together in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for the ninth annual “Worldwide Children’s Eucharistic Holy Hour,” the entire student body met in the gym for a Living Rosary sponsored by the Mission Club. Students prayed the Joyful Mysteries in unison with the CD “The Rosary for Children,” by Perth Catholic Productions of Australia.

Led by co-moderators Sandra Smith and Gerry Daunoy, St. Michael’s Mission Club has adopted Ethiopia as its country of focus this year. Plans include the teaching of a study unit on Ethiopia by social studies teacher Tim Duffy, and the preparation of an Ethiopian bread recipe by home economics teacher Tim Laurence.

“We’re gonna pray. We’re gonna educate. We’re gonna sacrifice,” said Smith, noting that her Mission Club members are planning candy and chip sales to raise money for their adopted country. They also will donate 50 cents to their cause every time they give up soft drinks – and opt for water instead.

More than a dozen local schools have reported their participation in Eucharistic Holy Hour to Todd Amick, director of the Office of Eucharistic Renewal. For more information, visit www.ChildrenOfTheEucharist.org.