Catholic students practise novena to honour late Pope

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on April 24, 2025.

newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com

Catholic students and staff in Medicine Hat are standing in solidarity with schools across the province by praying a novena for the late Pope Francis.

A novena is a devotional practice involving nine consecutive days of prayer, and local students will be participating over nine school days so they can experience the full novena.

“Throughout daily classroom prayers, activities and reflections, students will explore the remarkable life and legacy of Pope Francis and the impact he has made around the world,” reads a press release from the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education.

Flags at all local Catholic schools, as well as the central office, will remain lowered to half-mast during the novena. Additionally, a black diagonal ribbon has been added to all photos of Pope Francis throughout the division.

In a statement Tuesday, the Alberta Teachers Association said Pope Francis was a “strong-advocate for the well-being of children.”

“Pope Francis was a remarkable man and a cherished leader of the Catholic Church,” said ATA president Jason Schilling. “His papacy was marked by profound commitment to social justice, interfaith dialogue and a deep concern for the marginalized.”

Schilling cites the Pope’s visit to Canada in 2022 when he officially apologized to Indigenous Peoples for the church’s role in the residential school system.

“Many students, teachers and their families had the opportunity to make a direct connection with the Pope when he visited our province in 2022. During that visit, all students witnessed history,” Schilling said.

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