Just weeks after their school was vandalized by people seemingly intent on destroying sacred objects, the senior class at Holy Innocents Catholic School in Long Beach, California, met Pope Leo XIV Feb. 11.
“What happened with the vandalism was pretty horrible,” 17-year-old Carlos Martinez, one of Holy Innocents’ seniors, said, according to Angelus News. “But since we believe that God uses bad for good, I don’t think it was a coincidence that happened right before [the planned senior trip] to Rome.”
As Zeale News previously reported, vandals broke into the school in the middle of the night, and staff discovered widespread damage around 7 a.m. Feb. 2. Statues and other sacred images had been destroyed, including a life-size statue of the Blessed Mother that was installed in 1958 when the school opened. The tabernacle had been thrown across the room, and the vandals had clearly attempted to open it, but the Eucharist remained inside it.
The seniors were the only students allowed to see the damage that the vandals did. One member of the class, 17-year-old Sophia Gutierrez, said that she began to cry when she saw what had happened, wondering why such an attack would happen.
“Why would they do that to our faith?” she said, according to the publication. “Why would they do that to Our Lord?”
“All of us were really in shock,” she continued. “I think especially since we were the senior class. We never really expected this to happen at all.”
Volunteers and benefactors offered to help the school recover from the damage, raising about $225,000, according to Angelus News. One anonymous benefactor arranged for the senior class to attend the Pope’s Feb. 11 Wednesday audience during the class trip to Rome.
After the audience, the students and staff chaperones of Holy Innocents were surprised to be invited to meet the Pope. The Holy Father took time to speak to each member of the trip individually, assuring them all of his prayers.
Kiernan Fiore, the school’s director of academics, was particularly moved when Pope Leo specifically mentioned praying for the school after he heard about what happened to the tabernacle.
“I think when you are in the presence of the Holy Father, you can really feel the depth of his prayer life, and the way that comes out in his generosity to other people, his warmth, the way he seeks to be truly a pastor,” Fiore said, according to Angelus News. “But for me, personally, the thing that I really remember him commenting to me was just about the tabernacle at our school. It’s so meaningful for us to know that he has heard that, and can personally pray for us.”
The students and staff were deeply moved by the Pope’s attention. Fiore took it as a reminder of God’s love.
“It is so tempting when something like this happens to say why me?” Fiore said, according to Angelus News. “We all have suffering in our lives, and I think it’s when we’re open to Our Lord bringing us consolation, he always does.”
“I don’t really believe in coincidences,” Fiore continued. “I think we can see the Holy Spirit everywhere. But there where you can feel singled out for suffering, when you look to Our Lord, you’ll find you singled out for grace as well.”