Whether it’s a musical, play or prayerful recreation of the last hours of Jesus’ life, a successful performance demands preparatory work.
On the last day of term one 2023, at Victorian secondary school Mount Saint Joseph Girls’ College, the College community stopped to reflect on the Stations of the Cross. College director of Catholic Identity Anne Severi said at each station, the school community creatively contemplated the situation before moving on to the next station.
‘This way the liturgy became a shared devotional act. We walked with Jesus as he walked to Calvary. It was an extremely reflective and moving event incorporating rich prayer, music, drama, imagery, and multimedia.’
Ms Severi said the event was a team effort from the Faith and Performing Arts group, along with student volunteers. ‘We felt that in some way each member of our college community came away with a far deeper understanding of the key messages of Easter.’
However, before the successful reflection, students had to work through numerous criteria. ‘We began by asking students if they would be interested in participating or volunteering. We showed the students some videos of the Stations of the Cross and talked about the significance of the story.’
Ms Severi said a script was developed and the characters decided on. ‘The students were encouraged to do some research into the character they wanted to play and/or the production role they wanted. They then filled out an application form to indicate which roles they wanted and what other areas they wanted to work in (set, props, directors, etc.). In the form the students needed to say why they wanted the role, what they think it involves, why they think they would be the best person for the role, what skills they could bring to the role and any ideas they already had.’
Based on the form the students were split into groups – actors and directors, set, costume and props, lighting and sound, to plan and rehearse. Ms Severi said the students were shown other versions of The Stations of the Cross as inspiration.
For the Stations of the Cross, a Year 7 class acted as the crowd. The school choir incorporated some live music in between station along with visuals and multimedia. Mila Fanjek, Penola wellbeing senior student leader said the Stations of the Cross was a more traditional experience.
‘It allowed those both new and familiar with the Catholic faith to immerse themselves with an important story in our faith tradition. Through this, we were able to take away a far better understanding and deeply connect the stories and teachings of each station to our everyday lives.’
Michele Frankeni is the editor of Australian Catholics.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES
The Stations of the Cross mega guide – questions and activities
Discovering the profound journey of Jesus’ Passion through the Stations of the Cross can be a transformative experience for students. This series of questions and activities supports students to deepen their understanding and reflection on this sacred tradition, fostering both spiritual growth and intellectual exploration.