The Lenten season is upon us, which means now is a time for prayer, fasting, and sacrifice. The St. Dominic community celebrates Lent in a number of ways, one of those being the Stations of the Cross.

The Stations of the Cross are a Catholic tradition that reflect on Jesus’ passion and death. Generally, people read each of the twelve stations and reflect on Jesus’ suffering. It can be practiced throughout the liturgical season, but becomes most popular during Lent. Stations are a great prayer to do throughout Lent because Catholics can use their own suffering and sacrifices to better understand what Jesus went through.

At St. Dominic, we are very lucky to house our own Stations of the Cross. Along the path in the oak grove, the twelve stations stand, each one marking a significant event of Jesus’ passion and death. During Lent, the stations are prayed during the first half of empower hour every Friday.

Viri Dei, a prayer group for senior boys at St. Dominic, leads the Stations of the Cross. It is typically led by two members, who lead the participants in praying the stations throughout the oak grove.

“Being able to lead others through the Way of the Cross, the road that Jesus took all those years ago, is a huge honor for me.  Leading others in remembering the Passion of our Lord is of huge importance to me because the suffering that He endured for the sake of the world should be remembered,” senior and member of Viri Dei Andrew Belarde said.

While leading Stations is certainly special, the majority of the people involved each week are Crusader participants. Students of all grades and faculty participate— even virtual students through a livestream. Whether in person or not, everyone seems to get something out of going to stations, and hold that time near to their heart.

“I love spending the first half of my lunch walking through the Stations of the Cross. It’s awesome to spend time in prayer like that and I love how it brings me closer to God,” junior Lydia Melton said.

At St. Dominic, we are so incredibly blessed with faith opportunities, especially during different liturgical seasons. The Stations of the Cross are a great way to see students and faculty grow closer to God, one station at a time.