News

Living stations offer 'better understanding'

By Laurie Mueller
Compass Correspondent

	STATIONS PRESENTATION: Living stations at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, De Pere, featured Lucas Leahy as Pontius Pilate (left), Kyle Van Vonderen as Jesus, and Travis Wiercinski, Casey Gallenberger, Jon Krysiak and Alexa Gagon as soldiers. More parish youth groups will present living stations on Good Friday. (Laurie Mueller photo)

Youth in several parishes around the diocese have made a traditional Lenten devotion more real with presentations of living Stations of the Cross. Living stations have been presented in De Pere, Neenah and Kiel and are planned on Good Friday in Pulaski and New London.

Fifty barefoot first through 12th graders, dressed in togas and robes, presented the stations April 7 at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, De Pere. Youth acted out each station to a narration, followed by a meditation song.

Karen Nienhaus, director of religious education at Our Lady of Lourdes, said she hopes the youth are gaining "a better understanding of what it is Christ did so that we could have eternal salvation. Acting out allows them to get a better feel" for what occurred, she said.

This activity encouraged youth to reflect on Christ's passion. As the youth prepared, they imagined being part of the events and were challenged to consider how they would have reacted as part of the crowd.

"When I see the different expressions of Jesus, I understand what he did," said Lucas Leahy who portrayed Pontius Pilate and Simon.

Kyle Van Vonderen, who previously had been a narrator and reader, portrayed Jesus this year. "Reenacting the scenes gave me a better understanding and thought to what Jesus had to go through," he said.

This is the seventh year Lourdes youth presented the stations. Involvement has grown from 15 youth who volunteered the first year.

Laura Wiercinski, who has been involved since the first year, said each year has been "completely different experiences" because she has had different roles and worked with different youths. Portraying Jesus was her favorite role. "For me it was really moving." She pondered, "What if the nail was really going through my hand? What if the whips were really touching my body?"

Nienhaus said her biggest hope for the audience, which included adult parishioners, "is they too will get in the mindset for Holy Week. Also, my hope is watching the youth will bring the understanding there are a lot of neat teenagers. They have put their heart and soul into this."

Hundreds of people attended the 5 p.m. IMAJN Mass April 2 at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Neenah, where youth presented the living stations during the homily.

"We have received dozens of e-mails and calls" from attendees who said they were very moved, said Cindy Kyles-Werth, parish youth minister. "The youth participated in such a holy and reverent way."

"How awful it must have been seeing her son beat up," said Rachel Losselyong who portrayed Mary. Taking part helped her "relate to it (Christ's passion) a lot better," she said, and helped her realize "how hard everything was and how much Jesus went through."

The sophomore class at Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Kiel presented "Shadow Stations" on March 29. A curtain was hung across the sanctuary and the actors, in back of the curtain, were lit from behind so the audience saw only silhouettes. Contemporary music and questions for contemplation were part of each station.

"It is easy to make props since they are hidden," said Mary Jo Meyer, director of religious education. Props included a large colorful ball for the large rock by the tomb, a dowel with paper on one end for a spear. "No costumes are needed," she said.

Living stations are planned on Good Friday, April 14, by parish youth groups.

Confirmation candidates from Assumption BVM Parish in Pulaski will present the stations at 7 p.m. Good Friday. The public is invited. "We put posters up all over town," said Holly Knutson, youth minister. "This is a visual that helps understand the meaning of Good Friday."

She said she hopes the candidates will "really understand the Passion of Christ in this time of year" and that it will create a feeling of community, particularly for the youth, who Knutson wants "to see themselves as part of the faith community."

For the stations each youth is dressed alike in black pants and white shirts; their faces are painted white with a black tear.

High school youth at Most Precious Blood in New London will present Living Stations at 6:30 p.m. on Good Friday.