Catholic schools hold Lenten activities

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
March 24, 2005

Schools throughout the Diocese of Sioux City participated in different activities during the Lenten season.

The Sheldon St. Patrick's students have observed Lent in many ways. In addition to individual resolutions, the students also had times when they came together as a school family to remember the reason for this church season.

At the beginning of each week, the students gathered around the statue of the Sacred Heart for morning prayer like they do each week of the school year. Symbols of Lent were placed around the statue to remind them of what Jesus did for them.

On Wednesdays, the students gathered with parishioners in the church as Father Robert Schimmer, pastor at St. Patrick's, led the stations of the cross.

The students in first through fourth grade prepared for Holy Week by getting ready to put on their annual Passion Play. The passion of the Christ was reenacted by the students on Wednesday of Holy Week, March 23.

Gage Karolczak, a third grader, played the role of Jesus. The 12 apostles were played by first graders Joseph Schall, Joseph Weppler, Michael Keninger, Andrew Provost and Jonathan Rozeboom; second graders Damond Peters, Aaron Stoll and Tino Arizmendi; third graders Brian Klein, Benjamin Marshall and Luke Warner; and fourth grader Steven Feldman. Charlie Miller had the role of Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

The public was invited to attend the play and special guests included students in second and third grade from the Sheldon Christian School and teachers and students from Sacred Heart School in Spencer.

"We focused this year on the rosary and the mysteries of light," said Lynn Miller, principal at St. John the Baptist School in Bancroft.

The student body at St. John the Baptist School gathered every Thursday during Lent and said one decade of the rosary with the different mysteries of light. On March 17, they came together in the church to say the whole rosary.

"I set up a little area in the school with a cross and the colors. We purchased rosaries for all of the kids and talked a little bit about the rosary. We reemphasized that," said Miller.

The students also made Lenten baskets to be taken to the elderly in the parish community.

"We just try to emphasize something different every year," said Miller. "We had not focused on the rosary for a few years. With the young kids these days, sometimes the more traditional things could get lost a little bit. Especially with the new mysteries of light, a lot of the kids weren't familiar with those so we took some time to talk about those."

Thursday is the day that the mysteries of light are generally supposed to be said in the sequence of the mysteries.

"We've talked a lot about different things with the kids with penance coming up and a lot of the things that you do every year," said Miller. He added that they like to meet with the whole student body once a week to emphasize more on the season.

At Kuemper Catholic in Carroll during Lent, weekly Masses are held and the students are offered the opportunity to attend Friday morning Masses at 7:30 a.m. at Holy Spirit Church.

A reconciliation service was also held the week before Holy Week for all students. Additionally, morning prayer in the chapel was started this year during Lent, and was led by members of the LIFE group.

The March LIFE meeting featured the stations of the cross, with a student bearing a wooden cross, as the group processed to each of the 14 stations.

"Daily prayer led in classrooms by teachers focused on the 40 days of Lent," said Beth Bruner, religion teacher at Kuemper. "As we approach the Holy Triduum, it is especially important that our students appreciate the journey to the Resurrection."

At Sts. Peter and Paul School in West Bend, they had a read-a-thon of Bible stories during Lent. They have also done the stations of the cross.

"At our prayer services, we talk a lot about what we are giving up for Lent, why, if we are just doing it during Lent, if it carries over into our life," said Jean Hyslop, principal at Sts. Peter and Paul.

The students also have mission boxes that they take home during Lent to put money in. When they bring them back at the end of Lent, the money goes to mission children to provide food, pencils or other necessities.

"I think Lent is a time in the church to understand Jesus' love for us, how much he gave up for us and that he died for us," said Hyslop. "I think that is kind of a hard concept for our children especially the younger ones."

She continued that there is a need to help the students understand the reason why people give something up and the importance of it.

"Are you changing the way you are living or is it going to go back to the same old way after Lent?" asked Hyslop. "I think it is an important time of reflection and understanding what Jesus did for us."

According to Hyslop, she hopes that participating in the stations of the cross and other Lenten activities that the understanding will come forth and the students will ask questions.

At Emmetsburg Catholic, the first and eighth grade students draw the stations of the cross in chalk on the sidewalk and walk the stations. Hyslop, also principal at Emmetsburg, commented that this is a long standing tradition.

"I think that is an important thing - the children working together," said Hyslop. "I think the stations are very important at this time of year, so they can gain an understanding and respect for it."

Sister Louise Scieszinski, PBVM, principal at St. Mary School in Humboldt, noted that the Masses have been given particular emphasis this Lent.

The parish participates in ecumenical prayer services during Lent including the stations of the cross as the part provided by the Catholic Church. The Lenten services are held at the different churches in Humboldt. The fourth, fifth and sixth graders from St. Mary's led the stations of the cross when St. Mary's hosted the prayer service.

There was a prayer service at the beginning of Lent in the hallway at St. Mary's with a large cross mounted on the wall to officially open the Lenten season.

The students add little notes as to what they are doing for Lent to the way of the cross all the time, noted Sister Louise.

The older students have a buddy in a younger grade. In religion classes during Lent, the buddies get together to walk the stations of the cross each week.

"It is part of our lives as Catholics to grow in our faith throughout the liturgical cycle. This is particularly true in Lent," said Sister Louise.