As on most Fridays, the students slowly marched to the Terry Center to attend normal Friday prayer service or mass. But the moment their chairs entered eyesight, each student knew something was different, and everybody was pleasantly surprised to find a rosary waiting for them.
On Friday, April 22nd, Campus Ministry led the school in saying the rosary, one of the most traditional acts in the Catholic Church. It’s a practice that confuses some non-Catholics who wonder if we are praying to Mary, God, Jesus, or whoever. But Director of Campus Ministry Mrs. Gretchen Crowder explained, “We are asking Mary to intercede for us with her Son. After all, at some points in their lives, sons listen to their mothers!”
That day also coincided with some important history from 1541: according to Crowder, “St. Ignatius and his first companions made their solemn vows before the image of Mary in the Basilica of St Paul Outside-the-Walls. [And] it was the day St. Ignatius celebrated his first mass as general of the society.”
The rosary offered a chance for the whole school to unite as a community and focus on our Catholic traditions. “Group prayers are one of many aspects to the catholic faith, and it allows our student body, our faculty, anyone to join in prayer together,” math teacher Matt Ortiz commented.
Ortiz was not the only one to recognize the significance of the prayer service, for Alex Garcia ’17 also felt that it was “a unique experience that helped [him] feel even closer to [his] Jesuit brothers.” Michael Huber ’17, who helped to put on the ceremony, felt similarly: “It certainly wasn’t a typical prayer service, but it was really cool to see all 1200+ people of Jesuit community saying the rosary at the same time.”
Crowder echoed Ortiz’s observation, emphasizing the power of “the sound of 1100 voices joined in prayer together at the same time…I think perhaps it gave everyone the opportunity to see that our community could come together and pray like that. Even if it was unfamiliar or not a part of the religious practices of some of our community.”
Opportunities are available to continue saying the rosary with the Jesuit community. The invitation, which began with Mr. Chris Knight and Mr. Raul Ornelas, proposes a simple question to everyone, as Crowder mentioned, “Will you pray with me like this today?”
Groups of 20-30 people continue to meet in the prayer garden (located opposite the senior courtyard) during Wednesday lunch periods. “It allows people, not only catholics, but also people who aren’t religious at all, to get together and learn something new about the faith,” said Mr. Ortiz, “And it allows for a period to set aside all other issues and just meditate on the prayer.” So if you are interested in praying the rosary again, feel free to join your brothers during your lunch period.
Many students, like student council president Steven Mancillas ’17 enjoyed the prayer service and said, “It was a good change of pace.”
Knight, a key contributor to the prayer service, focused on the unifying experience: “I was very pleased and felt it was a powerful time together,” he added.
At the end of the service, they allowed us to keep the rosaries for our own use or to put somewhere special.
