SIJ Faith Rally

On Tuesday, September 15th the students of St. Isaac Jogues School participated in the first Faith Rally. All the students from Kindergarten through eighth grade began the day together in Faith Families, all upper grade homerooms paired up with a lower grade homeroom to create each individual Faith Family. The morning began with students singing Praise and Worship music led by Anthony Redfield in the church. After a few introductory words by Father Dunn and Sister Maria Catherine, OP the Blessed Sacrament was exposed and placed in the Monstrance to prepare for the procession to the gym which would be the site for Adoration.
Half of the school formed a Procession leading the Blessed Sacrament out of the church, down Clay Street and into the gym. Once in the gym each student knelt on a carpet square to prepare for Adoration with music led by Anthony Redfield. Father Dunn led the group in Adoration and told stories of how prayer in the presence of Jesus can be very powerful and help us to know what God is asking of us. The monstrance was placed on a tiered wooden structure called a “burning bush” which was generously built for the school by Kevin Curtiss, an SIJ parent and builder.
The remaining Faith Families moved to the classrooms for catechesis and a craft project to make “Virtue Beads”. The older children helped the younger children to make these beads with a Miraculous Medal on one end. The devotions are an important part of the Catholic faith. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. We cannot be receiving the Eucharist all day long but we can practice different forms of devotion throughout the day: Processions, Adoration, praying the Rosary, etc.
The two groups switched places and at the end of the morning the group in the gym led the Blessed Sacrament back to the church with a procession. Once back in the church Father Dunn, assisted by seminarian and SIJ graduate Tom Logue, led the school in Benediction. After Benediction Father Dunn blessed all of the “Virtue Beads” made by the children. The morning concluded with more upbeat Praise and Worship music led by Anthony Redfield.
Christ is the ever present teacher in our school! It was a very special morning devoted to spending time “walking with Jesus”. We have plans to bring the Faith Families together in October to pray the Rosary on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, October 7th, and during Lent when we gather for the Stations of the Cross.