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RT09242015

18 TIMES • SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.timesnewsweekly.com Papal Visit 2015 Two Queens children to help greet Pope Francis at JFK BY JAIME DEJESUS editorial@ridgewoodtimes.com @RidgewoodTimes It’s the special meet-and-greet of a lifetime. Out of more than 30,000 children attending 86 Catholic schools in Brooklyn and Queens, fi ve were chosen to welcome Pope Francis during his fi rst visit to New York on Sept. 24. The children and their parents were congratulated by Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, director of the offi ce of parish giving and vicar of development for the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, outside of Holy Name Church on Monday, Sept. 21. Two Queens children are among this special group: Brianna Wood of Rockaway Point, who attends St. Rose of Lima Catholic Academy, and Raymond Rico of Little Neck, who attends Divine Wisdom Catholic Academy. “Today, we celebrate the children greeting the Holy Father when he comes off the plane as he steps for the fi rst time in New York,” said Gigantiello as he explained what was on the agenda for the historic day. “The children will be presenting him with a spiritual bouquet, which are prayers and acts of kindness for the intentions for him and the success of his visit and also a gift from the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens.” The children were chosen by the diocese, which asked principals from various schools to submit names of children that they felt would be suited to represent the diocese as well as greet the pope. DiMarzio expressed his excitement for the children to be among the fi rst to greet the pope. “He loves children. I’m so happy we can have them there to greet him with smiling faces,” DiMarzio said. “My advice would be not to be nervous. For the children, it’s a memorable life moment they’ll never forget.” The kids discussed what the rare opportunity meant to them. “It feels exciting and joyful,” said Wood, a fourth-grader. “He’s close to God and can make this world a better place. I’m a little nervous but excited too.” Gigantiello also expressed the signifi cance of Pope Francis’s visit. “This is an exciting time. This is our fi fth Holy Father to visit so it’s a great time for our diocese and it’s a time to celebrate our faith and to celebrate our Holy Father’s visit by celebrating Mass with him and listening to him pray,” he said. Ridgewood high school senior set to meet Pope Francis BY ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport One high school senior from Ridgewood will get the chance of a lifetime next week after being selected to meet with Pope Francis during his visit to New York. Danielle Armato, 17, who has lived in Ridgewood for most of her life, was chosen as one of 12 Catholic high school seniors from across the city to be on hand when the Holy Father makes an appearance at Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem on Sept. 25. “I got a letter from my school one week before school started and I wasn’t sure what it was about,” Armato said. “When I opened it and saw that I had been chosen to meet the pope I actually screamed. I jumped up and down. I was very excited.” Armato is a senior at Cathedral High School in Manhattan where she is involved in various religious activities. She has been an altar server since the fourth grade and is currently the president of the campus ministry at Cathedral. She is also a parishioner, altar server and member of the Young Adult Leaders group at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church in Ridgewood. Armato said that members from the Diocese visited schools looking for eligible seniors to be at the elementary school when Pope Francis drops in. “My principal selected me because of my good grades and my participation in the church,” Armato said. “I am the president of the campus ministry. As president of the campus ministry I’m always helping to collect food and clothing, especially with the holidays coming up. I help set up our in-school retreats and I am responsible for planning our out-ofschool senior retreat. I love being a part of the campus ministry because I’ve met many amazing people.” Armato said that she and the 11 other high school students will be responsible for walking Pope Francis out of Our Lady Queen of Angels School when he is fi nished speaking with the elementary school students. “I would say, ‘Thank you for everything that you have done,’” Armato said she would tell the pope. “I want to ask the pope to bless my grandmother for her 75th birthday. When I told my grandmother that, she cried of happiness.” HOME REPORTER/Photo by Jaime DeJesus Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello and Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Brooklyn Thomas Chadzutko with youngsters Omodele Ojo, Brianna Wood, Maria Teresa Heyer, Raymond Ricco and Christina Desanges. RIDGEWOOD TIMES/Photo by Anthony Giudice Cathedral High School senior Danielle Armato was selected to be one of 12 Catholic high school seniors to meet Pope Francis.


RT09242015
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