St. Matthew School students ‘live’ the Rosary
By Erick Rommel
Head Staff Writer
Every October, students in St. Matthew School, Edison, gather during October to pray as part of the Month of the Holy Rosary. This year, instead of one class leading the rest of the school during prayer in church, the entire community went outdoors. They did more than pray the Rosary, they lived it.
The idea initially began with Joan Sacchi, the sixth grade teacher, who wanted to do something different this year. She spoke with David Jewel, the music teacher, who suggested creating a living Rosary outdoors.
Mercy Sister Kathleen Curnyn, principal, agreed to the idea. Sacchi’s class coordinated the Rosary and announced each sacred mystery, the eighth grade class became the cross at the base of the Rosary and members of every other grade became the Rosary’s beads.
“The fact that they’re all involved makes it more significant,” Sister Kathleen said. “Because of the size of the school a lot of the children know one another. It’s another opportunity to be together in a larger setting.”
“It helped us realize we have to help the little kids in praying,” said eighth-grader Sara Owsiany. “The nervousness of the small kids goes away when we pray together.”
Heather Welsh, the sixth grade student who served as the emcee, agreed. “It’s a good way to talk to God,” she said. “When we’re all together we can pray together.”
“It brings the kids together and makes them realize what we’re here for,” Sacchi said. “It’s not just academics. It gives them the opportunity to come together and have a conversation with God.”
The living Rosary also gave the school the opportunity to invite parents to witness their children’s religious education.
Simi D’Souza’s daughter Suzanna is a first grade student. “I think it’s good,” D’Sousza said about the living Rosary. “It builds them up in an all around way, not just academics. It builds up their spirituality, too.”
Miriam Torres’ children Cristina and Claudia, in first and second grade respectively, shared that excitement. “They wanted to get a book to learn the Rosary, even though they covered it in school,” she recalled.
The living Rosary also created a wonderful educational opportunity. “In this atmosphere, they’ll get it better,” Torres said. “It’s not just sitting in the classroom and reading about it.”
Maureen Twohig, the mother of third-grade student Megan and kindergarten student Erin, agreed. “It’s a physical way of learning, to show them the Rosary and give it more meaning,” she said. “It adds to the spirituality.”
“It’s a good way to honor Mary,” said Sabrina Virrey, a second grade student.
“I think it’s a pretty cool way to love God,” said Karen Barretta, a third grade student. “It was fun because we didn’t say it by ourselves, we said it with friends.”
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law