TURNERS FALLS — Parishioners gathered in the Our Lady of Peace prayer garden where the members of the church’s confirmation class unveiled a peace pole for the church.
The project was organized by Zach Lastowski, a junior at Turners Falls High School, and one of the confirmation class students. He said the project came together because each student in the class has to do a community service project. The church was already interested in the project when it was suggested to Lastowski, who jumped at the opportunity, which fit well because he was enrolled in a woodshop class.
The pole features “May peace prevail on earth” in six languages: English, French, Spanish, Polish, Arabic and Hebrew. Peace poles are a recognized symbol promoting peace throughout the world.
Lastowski said the project took about three days’ work. He said he learned a lot throughout the project, especially that the poles are such an international symbol.
Father Stanley Aksamit blessed the pole at the ceremony, and said that actions of peace, like this one, are so needed in today’s world, given current events.
“So as we bless this pole, let us be mindful of those places where there’s tremendous suffering,” Aksamit said during the ceremony.
Laura Bezio, the teacher of the confirmation class, said those languages were chosen because they were important to the community or to current world events. There’s also space on the pole to add the message in other languages if the students and the church decide to.
“The class has them question their faith and figure out where they belong in the world,” she said.
The church held the dedication after Sunday Mass, where about 40 parishioners watched as the students presented the pole to the church.
Bezio said the each individual does the work on their community service project, and then invites the other students to help execute it. She said that the group will be working on the other projects in the coming weeks, including a food drive, collecting presents for adopt-a-family, and volunteering at community meals and a nursing home.
Bezio said the class has focused a lot on the students’ relationships to their communities. Bezio said the aim of the service project is to help teach the students how to contribute to their different communities that they belong to.
“They’re just such great kids,” she said.
Reach Miranda Davis
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