Young people show the way to experience Lent and Holy Week
By Eileen Jevis
Staff writer
The Catholic Sun asked young people throughout the Syracuse Diocese what Lent means to them and how they prepare for Easter — the most important day of the entire liturgical year. From live enactments of the Stations of the Cross to church hopping on Holy Thursday, young Catholics participate in events that bring them closer to God and remind them what the season is all about.
Students and youth ministers responded to our questions about their traditions, observances and growing in their faith through prayer, reflection and service to others.
Catholic students at Syracuse University find fellowship at the SU Catholic Center. Samuel Brady Cestari is a first-year graduate student from Hopkinton. Mass. “To me, Lent is about making sacrifices and commitments to show gratitude for the ways in which Jesus sacrificed himself for us,” said Cestari. In preparation for Easter, he joins his fellow students at the Catholic Center to take part in Stations of the Cross, receive Ashes on Ash Wednesday and join in the many service projects available.
He finds comfort in Matthew 6:25-34, which says in part: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”
A focus on gratitude
Cestari said the Catholic Center community has held him together when he’s been ready to fall apart. “And, they lifted me up when it was time to celebrate success. They have played an important role in my personal and spiritual development. My Lenten sacrifice focuses on gratitude and prepares me for receiving the resurrected Christ at Easter.”
Luke Patrick Radel is a freshman at Syracuse University and a parishioner at Mary, Mother of our Savior Parish in Utica. For many years, he played the piano at the Stations of the Cross, assisted in the washing of the feet, and was an altar server at his home parish. His parents instilled their faith in him at a young age, but his faith has grown stronger in recent years. “I battled stage 4 cancer during my senior year in high school,” said Radel. “Through the grace of God, I’m in remission now.” For Radel, Lent is a time of repentance and reflection. “There are times when we turn away from what the Lord wants us to do,” he said. “We see examples in the Bible of those who betrayed Jesus and turned their backs on him when he was suffering. “It is a reminder that we all sin, but that Christ died for our sins to redeem us and give us new life in heaven.”
Radel hopes the work he is involved in at the Catholic Center will help other young people discover and express their own faith loudly and proudly in a world that is increasingly secular and hopeless. “I hope I can be a beacon of love to our school community,” he said.
From church to church
Young parishioners at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Baldwinsville are also engaged in an active and vibrant youth ministry. Led by youth minister Nick Calaprico, students of all ages participate in service projects and activities throughout the year. “During Lent, we fully immerse ourselves in preparing to celebrate the Paschal mystery,” said Calaprico. “Our families share a dinner and make rosaries together before participating in the Stations of the Cross.” Calaprico said one of the most enjoyable events for students is the “church hop” — a Holy Thursday pilgrimage to seven churches. The participants visit the altar at each church, read the appropriate Scripture and engage in private prayer and adoration.
Mary Gilhooly, a young parishioner at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, said that for her, Lent is the season when she can enter more fully into the silence of Christ’s suffering. “It is so easy to get caught up in all the noise and chaos in the world, but Lent provides an amazing opportunity to be still and give Jesus the company he longs for during his agony,” she said. She and her family make small sacrifices and pray for each other throughout the Lenten season. “A Lent spent in love ends with an Easter full of joy.”
The youth ministry group at St. Rose of Lima Church in North Syracuse also goes church hopping. “It’s a long-standing tradition, to take a pilgrimage to local Catholic churches to spend time in quiet adoration of Christ,” explained youth ministry coordinator Michael Assaf. “It is our way of staying and keeping watch with Christ as he asked the apostles to do in the garden. During a live enactment of the Stations of the Cross the congregants reflect on Christ’s living sacrifice for our sins to bring us closer to God.”
Fun, fellowship, grace
The newly formed Spirit of Hope Catholic Community comprises six district parishes in Oneida County. Mark Ranieri is the youth minister and leads the discipleship group. His youth group continues to grow as students prepare to receive their sacraments. He said the discipleship group is a place of fun, fellowship and grace.
Mason Netzband is part of the youth group at the Spirit of Hope and enjoys joining in discussions and reflecting on Christ’s life. As an altar server, he takes part in the preparations leading up to Easter. “Lent is the time of year where I really think about how we wouldn’t be able to get into Heaven without Jesus dying on the cross for all of our sins,” said Netzband. “What inspires me the most is that if you open yourself up to God, he will be there with you, and you can accomplish anything in life if you allow him to guide you.”
Lent is a time for sacrifice and fasting. It is also a season for gratitude and thanksgiving. He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).
