Newtown school already prepping for World Meeting of Families

NEWTOWN, Pa. (WPVI) -- Students at St. Andrew School in Newtown are using Catholic Schools Week to get ready for the World Meeting of Families in September.

Mass was different Wednesday at St. Andrew School in Newtown, Bucks County.

Bagpipes ended the liturgy and students sang hymns and said prayers in a variety of languages.

The school's hallways are now dedicated to different countries and their cultures.

The pre-schoolers even got their own unofficial passports.

"Today we're celebrating families as well as culture and faith and how all three of those work together," said Jennifer Drayer-McDonald.

It's Catholic Schools Week across the country and St. Andrew diverted from this year's theme, choosing this one instead: World Meeting of Families.

The World Meeting of Families, which will be attended by the pope in September, is right here in their backyard.

Pre-schoolers to middle and high schoolers are beginning to understand the historic and religious significance of the papal visit.

"Everybody is really excited that the pope is going to come so we're doing a bunch of stuff like this mass and Catholic Schools Week," said Michael Kane, 8th grader.

Hundreds of thousands of Catholics from across the globe will bring their traditions with them.

"We've been learning about the countries in school and where he goes, in a sense, how he sees the countries in a different way and the Catholic faith in different countries," said Jacqueline Armetta, 8th grader.

"Different cultures have really affected how Catholics view the world," said Drayer-McDonald.

Students across the Archdiocese will have off the days that the pope is in Philadelphia and they are encouraged to attend the World Meeting of Families.