Reflections on the Passion During the Pandemic
Sister Edward William Quinn, I.H.M., serves as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in the Elementary Division of the Office of Catholic Education for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
To assist school students and staff in marking the observance of Lent this year, she composed The Way of the Cross 2021: Reflections on the Passion During the Pandemic. Each station of the cross has a particular prayer intention relative to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Friday, March 12, 2021
1:00 p.m.
Saint John Neumann Church
380 Highland Lane
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Dr. Andrew McLaughlin, Secretary for Elementary Education will lead the procession of the Way of the Cross. The stations will be read by the Administrative Staff of the Office of Catholic Education.
7th and 8th grade students from Saints Colman-John Neumann Elementary School will be present in the pews with due respect for social distancing guidelines. It is the only elementary school in the Archdiocese named after Saint John Neumann, fourth Bishop of Philadelphia and founder of parochial Catholic education in the United States of America.
The Way of the Cross 2021: Reflections on the Passion During the Pandemic will be livestreamed from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools Facebook Page at AOPSschools/ in order to encourage maximum participation.
There are fifteen stations and prayer intentions in the Way of the Cross. At each station the faithful will pray, “We adore you, oh Christ, and we praise you, Because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.” The last station will conclude with Pope Francis’ Prayer to Mary during the Pandemic.
The Way of the Cross is being held on the Friday preceding the first anniversary of pandemic related societal restrictions for the preservation of public health.
In addition, the Way of the Cross is taking place during a time when many parish and regional elementary schools have traditionally had Stations of the Cross on Friday’s during Lent.
Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday in preparation for the celebration of Easter.
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