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St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Norcross
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The pope’s death hit Norcross resident Kamali Lara particularly hard. Kamali, 16, said she grew more connected to the pontiff when visiting him at the Vatican in January.
Kamali and 40 other parishioners from St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Norcross were among several groups to gain a private audience with the Pope. He blessed them and posed for pictures with the awestruck worshipers.
“I feel horrible that I lost him because I was there and I saw him,” she said. “He was coughing a little, but not much. It’s a shock that he’s not here anymore.”
Kamali, a junior at Meadowcreek High School, said she’s sure the pope is much happier now. But she still considers Pope John Paul II, the only pope she’s ever known, to be her pope.
“I think it’s going to be weird to have another pope,” she said.
Natalie Ann Abreu, a Meadowcreek High senior who sings at St. Patrick’s, also was part of the group. She and her family were praying for the pope between college visits over the weekend in South Georgia.
Natalie, 17, recalled the song they sang to the pope upon being introduced to him in an auditorium. It made him chuckle, Natalie said: “Oh Holy Father we love you. Oh Holy Father yes it’s true. When we’re in Georgia we’ll pray for you. Oh Holy Father we love you.”
The St. Patrick’s parishioners were standing in the fifth row, with the pope looking on from the stage. Kamali said she finds comfort in the thought of providing a little comedic relief for the pope.
“The whole time he seemed really bored, until we sang,” she said. “I choose to believe he was laughing with us, not at us.”
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