The Mount Begins the Lenten Season
       Recently the Mount Michael student body prepared for the beginning of lent through a few activities. On the night of Fat Tuesday all of the students got out of study hall a little early to go to a prayer service.

       Bro. Robert led some songs and Fr. Dan lit up the palms near the entrance to the chapel and gave a short speech on the importance of the flame. After the prayer service the students were treated to pizza and a king cake made by Mr. Thomas, the school’s newest chef. Sophomore Colten Venteicher said, “The king cake was superb.”

       On Ash Wednesday the monks, students, faculty, and guests went to the chapel for one of the schools biggest masses of the year.

       The mass was celebrated by Abbot Theodore and Fr. John led the choir consisting of himself, Tim Agnew, and Kyle Svingen. Abbot Theodore gave a homily about The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and related the story to the cleansing and healing of baptism. In this story a boy named Eustace was changed into a dragon and a great lion ripped his skin off and so the boy went into the pond to take away the pain. This represented the birth into new life.

       Many of the students enjoyed some of the aspects of the celebration on this holy day. Sophomore Mike Schulte said, “The mass was a great way to start the Lenten season.” Some enjoy singing the songs, others enjoy the good message, and some like getting five minutes cut out of all the day’s classes but this celebration can at the least bring many people closer to God, family, or a moral life.

Article by James Atkisson, Photos by Chad Park