Deeper faith, greater confidence rewards for students who help plan Masses at JDCHS

Friday, Jun. 03, 2016

DRAPER — Gaining a new appreciation for the Mass, learning to organize an event and gaining confidence in public speaking – these are just a few of the benefits that came to the Juan Diego Catholic High School students who planned the school liturgies during the past academic year.

The school community celebrates a liturgy of some sort almost every week, from a smaller Mass for specific classes to the two annual Masses that gather the entire Skaggs Catholic Center campus of about 2,500 people. 

This was the first year that students were intimately involved in planning the liturgy.

The experience “really opened my eyes to all the work that goes into the Mass,” said Katie Whittington, who also became more aware of the message that the Mass carries, and “it was cool to be able to be part of creating that message for my peers and the student body.” 

For Ryan Baker, who is not Catholic, helping to plan the Masses deepened not only his knowledge of but also his regard for the liturgy, he said. “And I definitely appreciate what people are saying, because beforehand I wasn’t paying attention. I was like, ‘Oh, this is a burden; I have to go to Mass. Oh, no.’ Now when I go to Mass I actually listen to what they are saying – I actually get the whole message, whereas before it was in one ear and out the other.”

Having the students set up for the Mass, prepare the liturgical aids, write the Prayers of the Faithful and act as ministers during the liturgy is another step in JDCHS’ ongoing efforts to involve them in the various aspects of the school, said Dave Brunetti, the school’s director of Campus Life.

Campus Life is “used in a lot of schools around the country to great success,” he said. 

At JDCHS, Campus Life covers student activities, prayer life, liturgies, service programs, retreats, leadership activities – “everything but academics and athletics,” Brunetti said. 

The goal of having the students plan the Masses at the school is to help “find ways to bring the liturgy to them that honors the sacred traditions of our Church but also is relevant to them, so that it comes to life for them,” Brunetti said.  

When the students were first asked to be involved, they weren’t entirely confident that they would succeed, they said.

“I was a little worried that I would be able to live up to Mr. Brunetti’s standards and do what I’m supposed to do, because I don’t usually go to Mass, so it was a good experience,” said Chanz Hower, who is not Catholic.

After being responsible for preparing the worship aids, asking the school principal for permission to alter a longstanding school tradition, and giving a reflection at Mass in front of the entire school, Hower said he’s not only gained confidence in himself but is looking forward to mentoring other students to do the same.

Many of the students eventually gathered the courage to step out of their comfort zone to give reflections. For example, Tamara Gilbert was reluctant to speak in front of the entire student body, but she agreed to give a reflection at the Junior Rite pin ceremony that was held just before the all-school Mass, and she enjoyed being able to comment upon her experiences at JDCHS, she said.

Being involved in the Mass planning gave her another lesson as well.

“One thing this year has really taught me is the kind of leader and the kind of person I want to be,” she said. “It’s really helped me to trust God that he’s going to help me, and that I can do all of this.”

Having students give reflections and calls to worship increases interest in the Mass, Whittington believes; she has noticed that “the students are a lot more alert during Mass, because they want to hear what we have to say.”  

“I think students appreciate other students speaking, that it’s not just adults speaking to them,” Brunetti agreed, adding that those who give the reflection “put so much energy into crafting something that will be meaningful for their friends.” 

Next year, as part of this effort, 127 students will participate in Campus Life, giving them “a bigger say in crafting experiences that are meaningful to them,” Brunetti said, adding that had having them plan the Mass not gone well, the administration probably would have been less inclined to allow them to expand their involvement next year.

As it was, however, “every time we’ve invited them or asked them to step up to the plate they’ve just knocked it out of the park,” he said.