Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, this prayer be done. Religion teachers are showing an effort to have their students go outside of their comfort zone of recited prayers.

“One of my goals is to introduce the students to different types of prayer forms,” religion teacher Christopher Yeung said.

Yeung recently took his four sections of junior Church History outside to take part in the Stations of the Cross. The goal of this all-class prayer activity was not only to expand prayer forms, but also to enlighten students on Jesus’ journey to his crucifixion. The purpose was “to as closely as possible match the journeying experience,” Yeung said.

Yeung’s students took turns carrying candles and the crucifix as they walked. They sang collectively as they traveled, then stopped for a moment of prayer.

“It was inspirational to walk the figurative path that Jesus walked on his way to the cross. It made me feel as if I was there, especially when I carried the cross,” junior Erin Sullivan said.

“You can pray through so many different things,” religion teacher Thomas Vierheller said. Vierheller is also exposing his classes to different prayer forms. His goal is “to try to expose [the students] to other forms of prayer than they’re used to.”

Vierheller takes his sections of sophomore Mission of Jesus to the chapel once a week for contemplative, silent prayer. “This gets them in tune with being in God’s presence,” Vierheller said. “Students need a few minutes of just silent time.”

Different types of prayers will be introduced during the remainder of the year in both Yeung’s and Vierheller’s classes. Vierheller plans to take his classes outside for a contemplative prayer. According to Vierheller, this will give the students the chance to find prayer in nature. This day of prayer will be “a very small retreat,” Vierheller said.

Yeung is also planning more prayer activities. “I’ve got a bunch in the works,” Yeung said. Yeung hopes that in using different prayer forms, students will feel more comfortable in prayer and that they will find a type of prayer that they like to say. “Hopefully something will stick and it will become part of their repertoire,” Yeung said.

According to Vierheller, prayer can be found anywhere. “There is prayer in soccer, or prayer in walking the Ma and Pa Trail.”

Lauren Glase is a News Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com