JEFFERSON — The faith community of St. Francis of Assisi Parish and St. John the Baptist (SJB) School in Jefferson gathered to remember and honor a special disciple of Christ and several saints chosen by individual classrooms.
Remembering Kena
On October 27, a Mass was offered to celebrate the life of an SJB graduate who lost her battle against leukemia in 2019.
Kena Eighmy would have turned 17 on October 27, and as a cherished member of the school and parish community, prayers were offered for her and her family.
Fr. Tom Coyle, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, led the congregation in prayer and blessing for Kena, whose courage and faith inspired many throughout several years of battling cancer.
She was first diagnosed during the summer between fourth and fifth grade and lost the battle in September of what would have been her freshman year in high school.
Kena’s doctors called her a “brave hero” who willingly agreed to participate in trials for new treatments for leukemia, even though there was no guarantee that it would cure her.
She paved the way for others to benefit from the trials and did so for that reason.
Her faith sustained her and her family throughout her suffering, remission, and relapse.
As a disciple of Christ, she put the needs of others before herself and comforted those who mourned her suffering.
In addition to a tree planted in front of the school in her honor last year, the school community dedicated a memorial that was placed under Kena’s tree after the Mass.
Father Tom blessed the memorial stone and her father then placed it under the blossom tree.
Celebrating saints
Five days later, the school community gathered to celebrate All Saints’ Day with the traditional presentation of the saints at the school Mass.
Class representatives shared posters of their chosen classroom saint for the school year along with information about the saint and how they are inspired by the holy ones to be better disciples of Jesus.