Category: Features

It is no secret that miraculous things happen during each and every mass.  Jesus becomes present in the Bread, venial sins are forgiven through the Penitential Act, and periodically, sacramental grace is granted during weddings or baptisms.  This year, thanks to COVID, mass at PA has donned a new ability: taking place in rooms all around the building.  This school year, students and teachers have worshipped in the chapel, in the Performing Arts Center, and even a gym.

In order to follow social distancing requirements, students  celebrate mass in smaller groups.  Seventh and eighth graders worship together, as do ninth and tenth graders, as well as eleventh and twelfth graders.  Meanwhile, Lower Schoolers celebrate mass in two groups that include a spectrum of grades.  In order to be able to sit a full six feet away from each other, all students gather in the Performing Arts Center, or PAC.  The only exception to this is sixth graders, who have a grade small enough to safely fit into the familiar chapel. 

Father Michael McClellan, the school chaplain, commented on this transition, “I have celebrated the mass in many different places over the years, and the PAC is one of the best temporary churches I have ever been in.”

While the Performing Arts Center is indeed beautiful with its grand spaces, brilliant chandeliers, and ornate decorations, Providence had to look elsewhere in order to hold mass this past Tuesday, December 8th, on the feast of the Immaculate Conception.  Providence normally marks this day of obligation with an all-school mass, where nearly all grades gather in the Great Room for worship.  Gathering the entire student body in one room may have been unattainable, but Providence was determined to do the next best thing: having three distinct services: one for the entire Lower School, one for the entire Middle School, and one for the whole Upper School.  

Even with the school divided into three sections, PA needed a bigger location.  Gym A, the largest gym PA has to offer, ended up fitting the bill.  With socially distanced chairs and an altar transported from the opposite side of the building, everything came together, with Lower School celebrating mass at 9:25 a.m., Middle School at 12:35 p.m., and Upper School bringing up the rear at 2:25 p.m..  

“This is a historical moment,” Father McClellan remarked during his homily. “For the first time in Providence Academy history, we are celebrating mass in a gym.”

This historical moment came with challenges.  Saying mass in a new place is difficult on its own, but PA also had to be sure to preserve the holy and prayerful atmosphere of worship in these makeshift chapels.  Thankfully, this challenge was met, in no small part thanks to a twelve-foot-tall altar new to the PA community.

This 70-year-old altar, with murals of Jesus elegantly painted on the sides, was scoured from the closing St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in early August, so that Technical Director Mr. Dominic Bissonette could begin fixing it up. 

“It needed some minor fixes, mostly paint, a few touch ups on trim, and some old electrical wires that needed to be removed,” Mr. Bissonette explained. “The major thing that it needed was the altar stone. This required cutting a hole in the table top of the altar and then adding new supports under the hole to support the thick piece of consecrated marble.”

All of this tedious work was worth it to transform regular rooms into reverent places of worship.  William Wehmann ‘22, reflected that despite the changes, “I loved having all Upper-School mass on Tuesday. Looking around and seeing all of my classmates partaking in the mass was an incredible experience.”

Showing love towards others is crucial within Providence Academy. Along with the addition of many other new clubs this school year, PA added Letters of Love to the list, creating a place where students can come to make cards to send to children in hospitals, with hope that something as simple as a kind card could brighten their long days.

Christina von Dohlen ‘22 said, “It is meaningful to me that people receive support while going through hard times, and Letters of Love allows students to do this.”

Letters of Love is a well-known organization among many schools. It was started in 2018 at Orono High School, just a few miles down the road from Providence. President Stephanie Momanyi, senior at PA, and Vice President Grace Wikenheiser, junior at PA, took the initiative to bring the organization to Providence Academy. After seeing the success brought to other schools, Momanyi and Wikenheiser knew it would be a great addition to PA.

Wikenheiser commented, “It is so cool to be part of a global nonprofit while still benefiting people within our own community.”

The club is deeply rooted in love and care towards others, whether towards a friend or someone you’ve never met. Grace Berbig, founder of Letters of Love, made this a key aspect of her life. As a graduate of Orono High School last spring, Berbig left her legacy behind. During her junior year, she wanted to make a change in the lives of children fighting illnesses. She says, “After my mom died of leukemia when I was 10 years old, I was inspired to create good and help people who are going through something similar as my mom did.”

The hospital was a familiar place to Berbig throughout her childhood, as her mom spent a considerable amount of time there while battling cancer. Berbig always remembered how depressing it felt, and wanted to change this. In remembrance of her mom, she created the club to emotionally support kids who spend much of their childhood in the hospital.

She began the club as a small organization with her friends and peers. Two years later, the club has grown in ways never expected. Berbig said, “In one year we have gone from 0 to over 500 members at the Orono chapter (over half of our student population), started branches of the club at 19 other schools in Minnesota, and are in the process of beginning clubs in three other states as well as other countries such as Poland, Italy and Austria.”

Students at PA cannot wait to learn more about the club. The club hit the ground running, and has already held a few events. The first activity Providence held was making cards for teachers at the school. Students made cards for Señora Ramierez, Señora Hope, and Mrs. Hejna, and enjoyed the opportunity to get a further understanding of where the club is rooted and what it consists of.

Beginning in January, Letters of Love will meet every third Friday of the month in the atrium. It is an easy way to hang out with friends, receive volunteer hours, and brighten others’ days all in one place.

William Wehmann ’22 concluded, “Letters of Love is a good way for people who are sick or struggling to know that even if they think they are at the lowest of all lows, there is someone there for them. It’s such a good feeling to know you are going to make someone’s day by taking five minutes to make a card, and I’m so excited to see how much Letters of Love grows within PA.”