SJSH School’s Passion Play: Lenten Tradition

St. John – Sacred Heart School in Sherwood does something special each Lent by acting out the journey Christ took to his death on the cross and His rising.  They host their annual “Passion Play” in which all students in grades 3 – 8 have a role ranging from a crowd member to Jesus.  This has been a tradition at the school since 1995, when school principal, Kerry Sievert, started the production upon his first year of service to the school.

Each year, the play changes to emphasize the Passion story from different biblical characters’ points of view.   Principal Kerry Sievert states, “It is a tremendous opportunity for students to experience their faith in various perspectives.  As we rehearse, I use the practices to talk about the attitudes and emotions of the actual people whose lives the students are portraying.  I have found the recall of the students’ biblical history to be excellent following these productions.  Fr. Martin Carr was my personal inspiration for doing the Passion Play.  Prior to his days as a diocesan priest, he was my 6th grade teacher at St. Peter and Paul School in Kiel and among his many gifts, he loved to direct plays and skits.  The first play I directed was his script that he used in Kiel.  Over the years, I have modified the scripts. “