A prayer composed by an Oblate who was
murdered in Sri Lanka was carried into outer space on the last flight of the
space shuttle program of the United States. And it all ties back to St. Eugene
College, a school in the Oblate parish of St. Eugene de Mazenod in the
Archdiocese of Brisbane.
The St Eugene College Prayer which is based on
the oblation prayer of slain Sri Lankan Oblate Fr Mike Rodrigo (assassinated in
1987 while celebrating Mass), has been carried into space.
A former parent and parishioner of St Eugene Parish
and College, Margie Carlile, who now lives in the USA, entered and was successful
in two lotteries to see the space shuttle launch and then to give the astronauts
something they would carry into space. Guess what Margie entered?
“Andrew and I were so fortunate to receive tickets
to Cape Canaveral, NASA, to see the final launching of the shuttle, I also entered
a lottery whereby you could try to have something taken into space on the launch,
and I was asked to submit the prayer; it seems as if it was taken up up and away!!”
(Paul SMITHERS)
