Catholic pupils nationwide pray for victims of terrorists

The service was conducted at 800 schools nationwide.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Pupils at St. Charles School on U.S. Route 224 joined pupils at Catholic schools around the country Monday in praying more than an hour for the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Carmela Kiraly, 14, sat five rows back in the sanctuary, intently listening to the service and praying with the rest of her eighth-grade classmates.
Carmela was more than an attendee. She was the national event organizer.
The idea came to her in the weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Her only problem was deciding when would be the best time for the service and what schools to ask to participate.
Eventually she decided to go all the way, inviting at least one school from every stateto participate. In the end, she had commitments from 800 schools representing every state, including Hawaii and Alaska.
"I had the idea for a prayer service and decided that it would be better if it were a national thing. The BETA club and I decided that March 11 would be the best time to do it because it is six months after the terrorists attacks."
How it was done: Carmela and the BETA Club, a seventh- and eighth-grade pupil help organization, told Sister Mary Alyce Koval, school principal, about the idea. Sister Mary Alyce offered her complete support but was taken back by the magnitude of the project.
"We support any student who shows such initiative," she said. "My first thought was how is she going to contact all these schools in every state without any addresses, but I contribute that to my underestimating the Internet."
The Internet is where Carmela's research began. She sent e-mails to the Catholic diocese in each state and when some did not reply, she followed up with letters.
Still others did not respond and she started making the necessary phone calls. By last Friday she still had not received word from schools in Maine, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Georgia.
She sought the help of Sister Mary Alyce, who made some calls, and in a short time, several schools in those states sent word that they too would be in prayer at 1:30 p.m.
Schools in other time zones adjusted their schedules so they would be in prayer at the same time.
Local event: The service here went without a flaw. It included prayer, flag waving and singing of patriotic songs like "God Bless America."
Carmela said organizing the program was rewarding but a lot of hard work.
She does not plan to organize another service at the one-year mark of the terrorists attacks, but said if something else horrific happens, she will be there ready to organize and pray.