A ‘Triumph’ at Kellenberg

BY MACKENZIE FREEMAN

On September 14, the Kellenberg Memorial community gathered around the beautiful stained-glass cross in front of the school for the annual Triumph of the Cross ceremony. Students from St. Martin de Porres and Chaminade also joined in the celebration as the schools joined together as a Marianist family to exalt and praise the cross that symbolizes God’s love for us and Jesus’ triumph over death and sin.

The assembly began with a procession of the students in the Parish Religious Education Program bearing the small wooden necklaces and prayer cards each person would receive later on in the ceremony, followed by Kellenberg’s chaplain, Marianist Father Thomas Cardone. The school’s own Gregorian Consortium led the procession in song with “Lift High the Cross,” as the rest of the Kellenberg students gathered around the altar and the cross as the prayer service began.
The cross is a part of our everyday lives as Catholics. When we bless ourselves before and after we pray, we use the cross. We wear crosses around our necks, as earrings, rings and bracelets. We see crosses when we walk into rooms, pray the rosary, or when we go to church. The cross is the universal symbol of our faith and of our beliefs, and we are constantly reminded of God’s sacrifice for us whenever we worship the cross.

The cross is also an unyielding emblem of our Catholic beliefs because of the spiritual meaning it holds for us. We believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to save us all from sin so that we could live an eternal life in heaven. The cross reminds us of this sacrifice Jesus made for us and also symbolizes what we believe as Catholics. This truly reflects the image that Kellenberg aspires to teach their students every day, both in the classroom and throughout other activities in the school.

The cross is not just a tangible item we can wear around our necks or proudly display in front of our school. As Catholics, we carry our own crosses every day. But our crosses are not always something we carry physically, but spiritually. It may be the death of someone we love, the betrayal of a friend, or even a failing grade on a test. Kellenberg inspires all of its students to recognize their classmates’ crosses, and to help each other overcome them. After all, even Jesus didn’t carry his cross alone. As Leo Tolstoy once said, “He sends a cross, but He also sends the strength to bear it.” God may send us difficult situations in life, but He will always be with us to help overcome them.

The cross rededication ceremony was beautifully coordinated and organized by many members of the faculty and student community. After the prayer service, the whole crowd proceeded to the shade for some muffins and juice boxes, and also gave time for students to chat with their friends. Overall, the Triumph of the Cross ceremony was a beautiful way to begin the spiritual aspect of life at Kellenberg and to honor the cross and all its meaning for us as Catholics.

MACKENZIE FREEMAN is a sophomore at Kellenberg Memorial High School, Uniondale.