“Let us begin,” he said, wearing an academy hat and sunglasses and holding his rosary. “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” Students from the school, arranged by sixth grade to 12th grade, walked and carried signs around the neighborhood just to remind Williamsport that peace was worth the effort.

Students were released from their last class of the day on Oct. 11 to take part in a prayer for peace walk that prayed for the safety and lives of everyone.

“We always do the peace walk during the month of October in honor of Respect Life Month,” Jennifer McPherson, school guidance counselor, said.

With international wars, crime, violence and a host of other issues that have appeared in headlines all over the world, the members of the academy did so to advocate for life.

Their route began at the corner of Hughes and Penn streets, down Penn Street, then a right on Washington Street in front of Lycoming College, then right on Elizabeth Street, with a finale right back onto Hughes Street to return to the school.

The students carried posters and signs that said “God loves you,” “everyone matters,” “respect life,” “be kind,” “peace = happiness” and “love how Jesus loves us!”

McPherson said she was “overwhelmed by the messages that the students made on their peace signs.” She praised the students of the school.

“These are children of God and they want everyone to know that peace and love supersedes all. These kids truly amaze me,” McPherson said.

As the students walked, vehicles that drove on Washington honked their support.

After the event, Kozen discussed the purpose of the walk was to respect all human life.

“From conception to natural death,” Kozen said. “All the fighting, all the warring … demonstrates … a cheapness of human life.”

He said peace is “the only way you defeat violence.”

“Violence doesn’t beat violence. Violence begets violence,” he said. “So the only way you can do that is through peace, understanding, compassion, and mercy and forgiveness.”

He said it was important to have students see first hand the school marching for peace.

“The best way to teach is by example. You know, the classroom is good, a textbook is good, but doing things [and] leading by example” he said, were the best way to teach. He further added that the school being faith based “our faith doesn’t abide by violence and war.”

McPherson agreed.

“Every time we have a special event or a small task [the students] rise to the occasion. Every time we think they are not listening, they show us through these types of actions,” she said.

Kozen said the event was an act of faith as the students petitioned a higher power.

“It starts with God being involved,” Kozen said. “God is still involved in his creation. God didn’t create and just [let] it go off on its own. God is still intimately involved in the things of creation.”

Kozen said that a walk like this boils down to faith and people do not see them.

“Miracles occur every day. The trouble is we don’t recognize them unless you view them through the eyes of faith. Without faith, they become a coincidence,” he said. “But miracles happen every single day of our lives.”