At the beginning of each station we pray this prayer: “We adore Thee, O Christ and we praise Thee…” There is a beautiful Latin hymn I love to play on the organ based off it also.

This afternoon, here at St. Anne’s Guest Home in Grand Forks, ND, we began our Lenten custom of praying the Stations of the Cross with our residents, scheduled adoration participants, and other visitors. We will do this every Monday of Lent at 4:30 p.m., allowing residents to be finished in time for supper.

Like St. Francis, we honor Christ’s passion with special devotion. According to our Constitutions, “We value highly…the Way of the Cross” (3.11) This is evidenced in the fact that Sisters in our community often pray the Stations privately throughout the year. Often at our Provincial House in Hankinson, one sees Sisters prayerfully walking from station to station in the chapel.

I know also from serving at St. Anne’s that being able to lovingly commemorate the Way of the Cross as a community is important to the Sisters; we make a special effort to be there. In fact, Sr. Rebecca, our administrator, even makes a special point to have a staff member fill in for me as receptionist for a half hour so I can be there.

I hope to hear shortly from other Sisters in our Province as to how they honor Our Lord’s Way of the Cross in their local communities. I will post their input when I receive it.