BANNER DAY: ST. VINCENT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GET READY FOR THE POPE

PERRYVILLE -- When Pope John Paul II visits St. Louis next month, it figures to be a banner day for St. Vincent High School juniors Angela Carron and Jessica Lakenan.

The two Catholic high school students made two banners for the pope's visit. He is expected in St. Louis Jan. 26-27.

One banner will be displayed at the youth rally at the Kiel Center on Jan. 26. The other will hang in the Trans World Dome where the pope will celebrate Mass the following day.

The students recently made the banners, using flame retardant fabric provided by the St. Louis Archdiocese.

The first banner, designed by the students, depicts a dove. It will be displayed at the youth rally.

The second banner, representing the local parish, featured the profile of St. Vincent de Paul for whom the high school and parish are named.

Art teacher Glenda Mueller came up with the second design. She supervised the creation of both banners.

Mueller said the students had to follow specific instructions from the archdiocese in making the banners.

No words or numbers could be used in the design.

The two banners will be among some 470 banners displayed during the pope's visit. The St. Louis Archdiocese asked each of its parishes to create two banners.

Perryville is the southernmost city in the St. Louis Archdiocese. Parishes in the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese also received tickets, though not as many as those in the archdiocese.

Carron, Lakenan and all of the other nearly 200 students at the Catholic high school are scheduled to attend the youth rally in St. Louis.

"It's neat that the whole high school gets to go," said Carron.

Lakenan agreed. "It's a once in a lifetime thing," she said.

All of the school's high school teachers will get to see the pope too. Fourteen will attend the youth rally as chaperones.

The other 10 teachers will attend the papal Mass the next day at the Trans World Dome.

Mueller is a Lutheran. But she is looking forward to seeing the pope. "I am excited about going," she said.

Tom Prost teaches religion class for freshmen and juniors. He will attend the Mass at the Dome.

He has been told that he needs to be at a designated parking spot in the St. Louis area at 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 27. From there, he and others will be shuttled to the Dome.

The pope's scheduled visit to St. Louis is beginning to register with students now that tickets are being distributed in the parish.

"All of a sudden this is a major event," said Prost.

Prost has seen the pope before. He saw the pope celebrate Mass in the late 1970s at a park in Chicago.

Prost said he arrived at 6 a.m. for the 2:30 p.m. Mass. A huge crowd was already waiting.

Prost said he ended up way back in the crowd of about 300,000. "I was at least 20 football fields away," he said.

He said spectators used "little periscopes" to bring the pope into view.

For Prost, Mass at the Dome will be much nicer.

"The Dome will be fantastic," he said.

Prost said he also is thrilled that the students will have an opportunity to witness the papal visit at the youth rally. "I am excited for the kids."

The Rev. Kevin Fausz of St. Vincent de Paul Church will see the pope too.

Fausz is one of two priests from the parish who will attend the papal Mass at the Dome.

"We will both help distribute communion with approximately 500 other priests," he said.

"It is going to be exciting to be in the Dome and to be with the pope," said Fausz.

Steve Mamanella, a spokesman for the archdiocese, said transportation plans haven't been finalized.

But many of those with tickets to see the pope will be asked to park at outlying sites. About 600 buses will shuttle them to the Dome.

The goal is to have everyone in their seats by 7:30 a.m., an hour before the pope is to arrive.

Mamanella said more than 95,000 people are expected to crowd into the Dome and the adjoining convention hall. Everyone will have to walk through metal detectors, he said.

All these people will be trying to get to the Dome during morning rush hour, making it all that much more important for people to ride the shuttle buses, he said.

The papal motorcade routes are expected to be announced next month.

The archdiocese has been working with a number of law enforcement agencies, including the Secret Service, in preparation for the pontiff's visit.

"The pope is a visiting head of state, as such he has Secret Service protection," Mamanella said.

"The logistics are huge," he observed. "Many people are saying this will be the biggest event for the city since the 1904 World's Fair."

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Tuesday, January 26

9:30 a.m. "Walk in the Light" youth walk from the Gateway Arch to Market Street.

12:30 p.m. Kiel Center Youth Rally begins.

1 p.m. Pope John Paul II arrives at the National Guard facility at Lambert St. Louis International Airport.

2 p.m. The pope departs by motorcade to archbishop's residence.

6 p.m. The pope begins prayer service at Kiel Center youth rally.

7:30 p.m. The pope departs youth rally.

Wednesday, January 27

8:30 a.m. Pope John Paul II arrives at Trans World Dome and tours America's Center halls in popemobile.

9:30 a.m. The pope celebrates Mass in Dome.

11:30 a.m. The pope departs Dome.

12:30 p.m. The pope has lunch with cardinals and bishops at archbishop's residence.

4:30 p.m. The pope arrives at Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis for evening prayer (speech).

6 p.m. The pope leaves the church for the ride to the airport.

6:30 p.m. The pope arrives at the National Guard facility where a departure ceremony will be held.

7:30 p.m. The pope departs from St. Louis