Students pray the Stations of the Cross during their theology classes on Friday, April 12.

On Friday, April 12, students gathered to pray the stations of the cross in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs during their theology classes. During each period of the day, six or seven theology classes grouped together in the chapel for the Lenten devotion. Upperclassmen read meditations for each station and lead their classmates in the subsequent prayers. Members of the choir led the assembly in singing the Stabat Mater at the end of each station.

During the period of prayer, hundreds of students took the opportunity to make a good Lenten confession before Holy Week. Confessions were offered by priests of the Jesuit community and Jesuit alums Fr. Jared Rodrigue ’09 and Fr. Stephen Dardis ’97.  Fr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., Jesuit’s chaplain, began each period with a brief explanation of the sacrament of confession. “Today is one of the most encouraging day of the school year for me,” Fr. Dyer told students. “That may be surprising to you that a priest hearing confessions all day would be encouraging, but it is. It is not about hearing about all of your weaknesses, but it is about seeing you doing something really noble when you make a firm purpose to do better in your life.”

Peter Flores ’09, Jesuit’s director of campus ministry, concluded each period by encouraging students to join the Jesuit High School community for the Nine Churches Walk on Good Friday. The walk begins on Friday, Apirl 19, at 8:15 a.m. outside St. Stephen’s Church on Napoleon Ave.