Thirty boys from Pinecrest Academy, accompanied by Br. Gabriel Lewis, LC, and several dads, visited St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Newtown, CT, on Dec. 31, to pray for families of the victims of the tragic Dec. 14 school shooting. The visit was part of a young men's retreat called Ignition by the Legionaries of Christ, in Thornwood, NY. 

Gathered with more than 50 other young men from across the nation, the Pinecrest students prayed the rosary and sang Christmas carols in the parish Church, in support of the priests and the local community.  

Twenty-eight poinsettias were placed before the altar, each with a paper angel on top, representing the 28 victims. A heart shaped American flag made of red, white, and blue roses, with the words "We will never forget you," lay among the flowers. A small Christmas tree was covered in paper ornaments with notes that included, "Rosaries: 343, Acts of Kindness: 524, Visits to the Eucharist: 410" -- a ‘spiritual bouquet’ dedicated by a school run by nuns, for the families of Newtown.

During the visit, Monsignor Weiss, Pastor of St. Rose, thanked the more than 80 boys for their prayers and shared his personal experience of the tragedy that occurred in Newtown. He had celebrated eight funerals in the days leading up to Christmas and asked for continuous prayers for the Newtown families as the new year begins and families begin to heal.

"It was very moving to be so close to such a tragedy, and to see how, even in the midst of darkness, the light of Christ shines, as the banner hanging in front of St. Rose Church says," commented Br. Gabriel Lewis. "Christ brings a hope that no evil can ever take away."