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Memoirs
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Posted On: 06/29/2010
Year: 1964

President Kennedy shot in Dallas!

We were in Father (later bishop) Ryan's religion class. Brother John Anthony got on the never-used PA system (the purple covered speaker was up next to the crucifix) and announced that "the president has been shot in Dallas." Barry Cabel (now Father Cabel) turned to me and asked, "The president of what?" I shrugged. It took us a minute to realize it was President Kennedy. We knelt and said a Hail Mary and an Our Father.



It was in the next period English class that Brother William got some huge old radio and plugged it in and we all heard Walter Cronkite announce to the world that President Kennedy had died of gunshot wounds in Parkland Hospital. A scream went up from the girl's school next door and we boys just stared at the floor.



At lunch some of us walked over to the church to go to noon Mass. It was PACKED with people and the crowds were pourinig out onto Olive St. and 6th street with lines all the way down to the armory. Priests were hearing confessions outside in the back garden of the rectory; many people, including a group of sailors, stood openly weeping.



We were hoping to get out early that Friday, but in Civics class after lunch, Brother Cassian told us that we were where President Kennedy would want us to be...in Civics class at St. Anthony's Boy's School on a hot Friday afternoon in November.

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