Traditions Matter at HFCA

Traditions matter. They not only help us celebrate our shared beliefs, but they are foundational in establishing our identity and our feeling of belonging. Social scientists tell us that during the pandemic it is more important than ever to continue with traditions. Of course, with masks, social distancing, and limited indoor capacity, many traditions must be reimagined.

Sixth grade students at Holy Family Catholic Academy (Inverness) were challenged to reimagine their performance of the Living Stations of the Cross, a depiction of the last day of Jesus’s life as he was led to his crucifixion. This effort is more than a narration of Jesus’s physical journey--the sixth grade students provide meaningful reflections in their own words that challenge all to see Jesus as a model for our own lives.

Unlike past years when the students performed live in the church, this year, the students recorded their parts individually and HFCA Middle School Teacher, Mrs. Roberta Muran seamed the parts together to create a moving video. She explains, “In prior years, we could all see the pieces coming together during our in-person rehearsals. This year, none of us saw the completed version until it was finally edited.”

The sixth graders were duly proud of their effort. States Mrs. Muran, “The room was silent as we all watched the finished product, and as the video was shown in each of the classrooms throughout the school, compliments started to come to the sixth graders from other teachers and upper and lower classmates.”

Adds Principal Kate O’Brien, “This year’s Living Stations of the Cross turned out to be one of the most powerful performances. I love how the reimagined format allowed our remote and in-person learners to all be present together. It truly is an instance where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.”

The work of HFCA’s 6th grade teacher and students shows that tradition does matter--and creatively reimagining the format can even enhance the experience. In the end, these students provided us a meaningful reflection on this unique Good Friday.