Remembrance Tree has been Decorated

Father Bill Scafidi gave the church’s youth group some craft supplies and asked them to come up with ideas for a Christmas tree by the river. What they did, according to Scafdidi, was, “phenominal.”

The youth group designed white ornaments, with red, white and blue ribbon. From a distance they look like snow flakes. However, that wasn’t the “wow factor” for Father Bill. It was what the children put on the ornaments.

When you get closer to the tree, you can see that the children created hundreds of ornaments in memory of military personnel who have died during the Iraq/Afghanistan War. Each holds the names and pictures of those who have died from the tri-state area. There are currently about 400 ornaments hanging from the tree.

St Mary’s Youth Group joined with their families and friends to place the ornaments on one of the evergreen tress by UNICO Park by the waterfront for the holidays. The circular ornament represents unity and everlasting life.

When the decorating was complete, Father Bill Scafidi asked everyone to bow their heads as he blessed the Remembrance Tree - for those who have died in the Iraq/Afghanistan War.