‘Walking to Jerusalem’:
Lenten journey takes Holy Spirit students thousands of miles
At Holy Spirit School in Indianapolis, sixth-grade student Rachel Clark, middle, tracks the progress of her team’s path in “Walking to Jerusalem,” a 6,236-mile journey that the school community is making as a Lenten journey. Principal Rita Parsons, left, and seventh-grade student Lindsey Newhart also examine the map. (Photo by John Shaughnessy)
By John Shaughnessy
When they began their walk of more than 6,000 miles, the students, teachers and staff members at Holy Spirit School in Indianapolis never expected how much their Lenten journey would lead them to places that would make them smile, shape their faith and even break their hearts.
Before the journey began on Ash Wednesday, Holy Spirit principal Rita Parsons just wanted to create a Lenten theme that would connect with the students, and make them focus more closely on the challenges and sacrifices that Christ endured in the days leading to his death and resurrection.
So she and parish nurse Joannie LeBeau came up with the idea of “Walking to Jerusalem,” a 6,236-mile journey from Indianapolis that they hoped would also tie in with the school’s efforts toward improved health and fitness.
Everyone at the school was given a pedometer and divided into three teams so there would be some friendly competition as the miles accumulated while they walked at school and at home. Everyone was also encouraged to pray and think about Lent as they walked.
“When we kicked it off on Ash Wednesday, we told the children that Jesus made many sacrifices for us,” Parsons says. “We told them to challenge themselves in their walking. The faith connection comes in how they talk about it and pray about it. You’ll find [students in] many classes walking around the campus with their rosaries. They see how walking can help them and how prayer can be done at the same time.”
The faith connection was also developed as students were encouraged to give up treats and use the saved money to contribute to service projects that would help others. One of the service projects especially touched home with the Holy Spirit community—a fundraiser for the Leukemia Foundation.
On Feb. 9, three days after Ash Wednesday, the school community was devastated when a student teacher named Michelle “Shelly” Sharp died of the disease.
“She had made such an impression on the fifth-graders and the kindergarten kids,” Parsons says. “She meant a lot to them. We had a fundraiser, ‘Pennies for Patients,’ for the Leukemia Foundation. Our goal was $1,100. And we raised more than $3,200. We felt like it was a tribute to her.”
Most of that money came from the students’ pockets and their hearts. That same sense of caring has marked their approach to the figurative walk toward Jerusalem.
“I think it’s a really good idea,” says Rachel Clark, 12, a sixth-grade student at Holy Spirit. “When we walk, we pray the Our Father and the Hail Mary.”
“I think it’s pretty cool that we’re doing this,” says Lindsey Newhart, 12, a seventh-grade student. “We usually do it in religion class. It’s part of the whole Jerusalem and resurrection theme. It helps us understand Lent more.”
There have been moments of humor, too.
In the front section of the school’s main hallway, a huge map has been placed on the wall, starting with the United States on the left and extending to Israel and beyond on the right. A young child looking at the map noticed the huge blue area marking the Atlantic Ocean. He innocently asked Parsons, “How are we going to walk on water?”
Without missing a beat, Parsons answered, “Jesus walked on water.”
Her answer seemed to satisfy the boy, at least for the moment.
The school is also using the map and the “Walk to Jerusalem” as tools for teaching social studies. Each Wednesday, the three teams turn in their mileage for the past week. Teachers then pinpoint on the map where the teams are in their imaginary trip to Jerusalem.
When one team landed in Hershey, Pa., teacher John O’Hara pointed out that the city is the home of the Hershey chocolate company.
When another team’s mileage landed it in New York City, O’Hara noted that it has been the city with the largest population in the United States since 1790.
“The kids are getting into it,” Parsons says. “It’s great. I see the pedometers on them. The other day, the volleyball team was running before practice. They said they were getting their miles in.”
Parsons says that research has shown that if people do something for 30 days, it becomes a habit. She believes that their “Walk to Jerusalem” in the 40 days of Lent will have a lasting impact on the students.
“The walk is integrating everything,” Parsons says. “It’s integrating their lives. It’s integrating cities and maps. It’s integrating their health and their faith. They’re going to remember this and how it’s connected to their religion.” †
