Day two of the Mountaineer Integral Formation challenge was focused on spiritual formation. Everest students develop a deep, personal, and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Today students submitted how they are incorporating prayers into their distance learning.
Students are incorporating prayer into their distance learning from the moment they get up, like the Vicari family watching the Everest morning prayers video as they had breakfast.
Sixth grader, Zoe Abraham, shared, “I will incorporate prayer into my distant learning by praying before and after every class, just like I do at school. It is important to begin and end with God. I can also pray for God to help me improve as I progress in my education online. Just as I pray for my own education, I can also pray for my friend’s. Also, when I pray at the beginning and end of class, I can keep in mind those, not only infected, but also those affected by the coronavirus.”
Emily Smith, also in sixth grade, stopped on a walk with her sister to pray. She shared, “I incorporate prayer into distance learning because whenever I’m having trouble with school I stop and say a quick Our Father. I say it mainly because it helps me stop and just be quiet for a minute, and it also lets me collect my thoughts. Usually after I say it I take a deep breath, and I try to find the best way to solve my problem. I pray the Our Father because to me it means I’m talking directly to God (not that all prayer isn’t talking to God) and He can hear me directly. I like distance learning but it can sometimes be hard, so most of the time saying this prayer gives me strength to keep going and to persevere.”
Kindergartener Charlie Munoz shared a photo depicting spiritual formation. His rosary tree in the yard shares a message of faith with passers-by.
Preschoolers worked on Stations of the Cross worksheets like Lola Gjonaj.
Preschooler Noah Bodary prayed a Hail Mary.
First grader Branden Sandeen said his morning prayers.
International student Maria Fernanda Verduzco has an image of St. Agnes above her desk.
Sixth grader Jacob Marshall shared, “I can pray before every class and at the end of every class. I can pray for all the teachers at my school who have to go through this hard time to make us have online school. I can also pray for all the people who have COVID-19 and pray that they are healed. Especially for my grandparents who are at most risk.”
Preschoolers Anthony and Madeline McGrath sang a song.
A few members of the cross country and track team prayed a decade of the rosary together via Zoom.
And Miss Mansour is presenting daily religion trivia in her classes. Do you know the answer?
We close with a reflection by ninth grader, Amelia Shripka. “I have realized during this time in quarantine that I really love and appreciate school, and it is not something that we should take for granted! We don’t really realize all that we have until it is taken away from us. This morning I was reading a devotion while I was praying and it said, ‘Sometimes my blessings come to you in mysterious ways: even through pain and trouble. I use tough times to teach you more about me. I use trouble at home to help you find peace and comfort in me. I can use disappointment to teach you that there is joy in my presence. I can even use an illness to teach you to be still and listen for my voice.’ That bold part really touched me. Everyone is freaking out about this virus and is fearful. We should always remember that God never gives us more than we can handle, and that everything happens for a reason. I think that one of the reasons that God put the coronavirus in our lives, or at least in my life, is to help us realize how blessed and privileged that we are. We should be grateful for how the coronavirus has affected the United States, because so many countries are suffering way worse. We have it good here in America. Also, we have a really great school too. The Everest community is still connected through this hard time, and I am so grateful for all the teachers, priests, and consecrated for all the encouragement and help that they have given the families and the students. This time is not easy for anyone, but I believe if we have God, we can get through anything!”
The consecrated women invite the entire Everest community to join them for a virtual holy hour this Thursday.
