Pastor of St. Gregory Barbarigo Church Fr. Joseph LaMorte speaks to the eighth graders of Rockland’s Catholic elementary schools at the Rose Mass for Life.

Jan 19 — The Rockland Region of Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of New York hosted the annual eighth-grade Rose Mass for Life on Friday, Jan. 19, at St. Gregory Barbarigo Church in Garnerville. It was attended by students from Sacred Heart School in Suffern, St. Anthony’s School in Nanuet, St. Margaret of Antioch School in Pearl River, St. Paul School in Valley Cottage, and St. Gregory’s School.

The mass is held each year to coincide with the March for Life in Washington, D.C. The sacredness God’s gift of life is symbolized by the long-stemmed red roses, which the students bring to decorate the sanctuary.

The homily was delivered by Rev. Joseph P. Lamorte, pastor of St. Gregory’s. He told the eighth graders that they were the “prolife generation,” and he was full of hope that when they were adults, their efforts to overturn the legalization of abortion would be their great gift to society.

Fr. Lamorte concelebrated the mass with pastors Rev. Matthew Furey (Sacred Heart Church), Rev. Joseph  Deponai (St. Anthony’s Church), Rev. Eric Raaser (St. Margaret’s Church)  asst. pastor Roman Palecko (St. Paul and St. Ann Parish), and pastor Rev. William Cosgrove (St. Augustine’s Church in New City).

Music was provided by the Barbarigo Student Chorus, led by director David Christian Azarow.

Attending the mass were several adult prolife supporters from around the county who were unable to attend the March for Life in Washington.

Concelebrating the Rose Mass for Life were (left to right): Fr. Bill Cosgrove, Fr. Roman Palecko, Fr. Matthew Furey, Fr. Joseph LaMorte, Fr. Jerry Deponai, and Fr. Eric Raaser