Via Dolorosa 2017

“I really enjoyed the Via Dolorosa, as I always do. I really love the Seder Meal, and the walk, this year in particular because I helped carry the cross in my group.” - ASA middle school student

The “Via Dolorosa” is believed to be the path Jesus walked through Jerusalem carrying his cross on his way to crucifixion. For All Saints Academy it is also a very special and somber community celebration.

At ASA we believe that we are one, and periodically during the school year we gather the students and staff from both our campuses together to celebrate being one community united in our Catholic faith. Holy Week is one of those special celebrations of faith and community for All Saints Academy.

Our Via Dolorosa day begins with kindergarten through 8th grade students gathering at the middle school campus for living stations of the cross led by our 8th grade students.

After The Stations of the Cross, multi-age student groups along with teachers, staff and parents head out on the 2.2 mile walk to the elementary campus. On the walk student continue to reflect on Christ’s passion. What is especially neat about these groups are not only siblings paired together, but the groups have remained the same of the course of four years of this tradition, with graduating 8th graders being replaced by incoming kindergartners.

.

Once everyone arrives at the elementary campus we sit down to do something we don’t often have the chance to do, share a meal together! It is heartwarming to step back from passing out lunches and opening juice boxes for just a minute to watch and listen to our kindergarten through 8th grade students talk and build relationships. It really is a big groups of students when you see them all together!

6th Grade Seder Leaders! 

After lunch and a little recess, students gather again to participate in a Seder Meal adaptation. The Seder Meal is a ritual meal celebrated during Passover that commemorates the events in Exodus. In the Christian tradition the Passover Seder is believed to be when Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper. This year we started and ended our Seder with beautiful song!

Student insights from the day:

“It was nice to experience the pain that Jesus did, even though it wasn’t even close.”

“It was relaxing and showed me what Jesus had to go through.”

“I had fun talking with people from different grades.”

“I got to feel the fresh air as we commemorate Jesus’ sacrifice for us. It was relaxing and a good time to reflect.”

If you have not had a chance to check out the 2015 MLive article about ASA’s Via Dolorosa Walk, check out this link:

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/04/200_catholic_students_seek_sha.html

So many thanks go out to all the people that have a hand in making this such a great day for the ASA community!