Schools

Viewfinder: Faith and Tradition Intertwine at Our Lady of Peace

The school's sixth-graders will perform a live re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross Friday at Our Lady of Peace Parish.

Sixth-graders from will have an opportunity to experience their faith in a very personal way when they perform a live re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross Friday at .

The school’s yearly tradition immerses students in the stories behind their beliefs, which parents say brings them a deeper understanding of Jesus’ sacrifice. 

Cathy Didio, who teaches sixth grade at OLP, started the tradition 17 years ago after seeing a re-enactment at another church.

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“It was so moving, I wanted to share that with these children,” she said.

Since returning from winter break this year, the 44 students have been rehearsing with Didio and fellow sixth-grade teacher Ellen Pakel to refine their telling of Jesus’ death and resurrection. 

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Karen Schuth’s 12-year-old daughter Siena plays Veronica, a woman who wiped Jesus’ tears while he carried the cross to Calvary.

Watching her daughter perform nearly moved Schuth to tears. 

“It’s really a rite of passage to perform the Living Stations,” said Schuth, whose daughter has attended OLP throughout her schooling. “It seems like a long way off, and suddenly to see her in it is very moving.”

Tracy Mitra, whose son Andrew, 11, plays Jesus, said she too finds her son’s participation in the re-enactment deeply touching.

“I think he definitely has a different view of what Jesus went through,” she said. “He said how heavy the cross [he carried] was. He couldn’t imagine what the real one was like.”

Didio pulls names out of a hat to assign the parts, and then tries to tailor the roles to each child.

“If they want to sing, I let them sing. If they want to be a more silent performer, that’s fine,” she said. 

Just as the parents and students say they find a special connection with Jesus through the Living Stations, so too does Didio feel closer to her faith by directing the performance.

“It’s a blessing for Ellen and I to be doing this with the children,” she said. “It’s definitely a ‘grace’ moment, bringing you closer to God.”

The Living Stations will be performed for a school-only audience at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. A performance for the parish, as well as members of the public, will take place 7 p.m. Friday at Our Lady of Peace parish.


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