The all-boys Loyola High School in northwest Detroit, operated by the Jesuit order of Catholic priests, have made a video inviting Pope Francis to visit the Motor City in 2015. It's part of a campaign, endorsed by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, to invite the pope.
Detroit all-boys Loyola High was started in 1993 by the Jesuits, and Pope Francis is the first member of the Jesuit order of priests to become pope.
The Catholic school in northwest Detroit enrolls about 150 boys, many of whom are of other religious faiths.
The Loyola video is also part of the "Let's Bring Pope Francis to Detroit in 2015" page on Facebook.
Detroit's all-boy Loyola High School is sending out a YouTube video invitation to Pope Francis to stop in Detroit in 2015.
The students, many of whom are not Catholic, look into the camera and ask the leader of the worldwide Roman Catholic faith to visit their 150-student school in northwest Detroit.
"Everybody in our school goes to church every morning," said one student, "and (looks) up to you everyday."
Said another student: "You are exactly what we stand for – Men for Others," referring to a theme of service stressed at many schools run by the Jesuit order of priests.
Loyola, located in what was once St. Francis de Sales school, adds to the list of Detroit Catholic schools who've started a letter-writing and social media campaign to invite the pope to visit Detroit in 2015.
Loyola was started by the Jesuit order of priests in 1993. And students hope their Jesuit affiliation will strike a chord with Francis, who was ordained as a Jesuit priest.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has backed the papal pitch, and Detroit Catholic Archbishop Allen Vigneron has agreed to convey an invitation to Pope Francis through proper Vatican channels.
The campaign to bring the Pope to Detroit began at Cristo Rey High School, in southwest Detroit last May. Cristo Rey students recruited other students at Detroit's Gesu, Holy Redeemer and Holy Trinity Catholic elementary schools to also write letters to Pope Francis.
Loyola High president, the Rev. Mark Luedtke, said the pope has shown an affinity for reaching out to struggling communities, such as Detroit.
"Our school works with young men and families who need a little extra help, who might have struggled in their academic work or not been given the opportunity to succeed. We feel particularly suited to receive the pope," said Luedtke.
To learn more, visit the Facebook page entitled "Let's Bring Pope Francis to Detroit in 2015."