EMAILS TO THE POPE

St. Jude the Apostle students sent prayers to Pope Francis before his death

Just before his death, Pope Francis got a special delivery message: prayers from students at St. Jude the Apostle School in Wynantskill.

And not just regular prayers: students in third, fourth and fifth grade at St. Jude wrote their get-well wishes in a Google Doc that was emailed to the pope’s assistant at the Vatican. The email was read to the Holy Father in what ended up being his final weeks before passing away.

“In this tiny, little village of Wynantskill, our children are being heard by the pope,” said Kristine Hoffay, principal.

It all started when Pope Francis was hospitalized in mid-February. Hoffay shared the news with her students during the school’s morning assembly, and all of them “expressed concern and wanted to pray for him.” Every morning since, Hoffay would lead her students in prayer for the pope and give an update on his health during the morning assembly and later in the day during the afternoon announcements.

It was almost surprising how much the students gravitated toward him. Hoffay couldn’t walk down the hallway without being stopped by students and asked about Pope Francis.

“Every day, they were constantly asking me for updates,” she said. “How’s he doing? Have you heard anything?”

During the pope’s hospitalization, Hoffay reached out to Father Anthony Ligato, Assistant Vice Rector, Director of Formation, and Formation Advisor for the Pontifical North American College in Rome, to check in during the time of uncertainty.

She mentioned her students’ enthusiasm in praying for Pope Francis, which gave Father Ligato an idea: “He said, ‘Would you like the kids to email the pope?’ And I said, ‘Really?’ ” she laughed.

Over the next few weeks, teachers worked to compile prayers from their third, fourth and fifth grade students, writing get-well wishes and hopes for his recovery. Some students talked about their love for their school, others said they know what it feels like to be sick and hope he feels better soon.

The compiled prayers were sent to Father Ligato on April 8, who forwarded them to Monsignor Christopher Washington, a member of the Diplomatic Corps of the Holy See and who served as a personal aide and translator for Pope Francis.

Father Ligato was told that the prayers were read to the pope, and that “they brought him great comfort and a smile to his face, hearing that the children were praying for him,” Hoffay said.

It was a proud moment for St. Jude, not only to reach the Vatican, but to do so because their students thought not of themselves, but of someone else during a difficult time.

It was hard then, Hoffay said, to talk with the students about the pope’s death. “I had a few in tears,” she said. “It was not what they were expecting.”

But still, there was joy: “We talked about how he lived his life for Christ, and I said, ‘Do you think he willed himself to get through Easter, do you think he waited until afterwards?’ And they said, ‘Yeah, I think he knew Easter was Jesus’ day and he had to wait,’ ” she laughed.

Hoffay started a memorial for Pope Francis in the hallway for students to drop off flowers. She’s also started talking about the historical process of electing a new pope, how people will be coming to pay respects, what the conclave is, and how people will be watching for the smoke.

“How kind and thoughtful (these kids) are,” Hoffay said. “These children, as young as 5 years old, took their world outside of one that is so self-centered at that age, and had thoughts of this man they had never met.”