Archbishop Aymond Leads Community in Prayer for Protection of Human Life

Ten-year-old Genevieve Fortin, a St. Rita Catholic School New Orleans fourth grader, recites a decade of the rosary from the podium at Dominican’s Our Lady Queen of the Rosary Chapel. With her are her mother Mrs. Veora Fortin and five-year-old sister Ava Fortin who is in kindergarten at St. Rita.

The last Friday of January, Our Lady Queen of the Rosary Chapel at St. Mary’s Dominican High School was the host site for an Archdiocesan community-wide virtual rosary. From the chapel, New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond welcomed the community, followed by Superintendent of Catholic Schools RaeNell Houston, Ph.D. 

Reciting each decade were two students from St. Rita Catholic School New Orleans, Holy Cross Primary and High School, St. Katharine Drexel Preparatory School, and Dominican. Also attending were school chaperones, Deputy Director of Faith and Formation for the Archdiocese Deacon Michael Whitehouse, Ph.D., Dominican Vice President of Catholic Identity Jill Cabes, and Judith Nussbaum, President of the Council of Catholic School Cooperative Clubs (CCSCC). The live streaming via YouTube to area schools was sponsored by CCSCC, one of the oldest Archdiocesan parent clubs in the nation.

The virtual rosary coincided with the pro-life novena and the annual National March for Life that is held in Washington, DC, but this year was also taking place virtually due to the pandemic. Catholics across the country were invited to take part in the 9 Days for Life novena January 21- 29 for the protection of human life. Each day’s intention has been accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life.

  • St. Mary’s Dominican High School seniors and Student Preachers Aria Dody (left) and Gracie Bott do a sound check with the videographer before the start of the virtual rosary.
  • A religion class at St. Mary’s Dominican High school listens to New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond welcome students at area Catholic schools before the livestreaming of an Archdiocesan community-wide virtual rosary.