Social Distancing Stations of the Cross

I wanted to share an idea for how to be able to celebrate the season of Lent during these crazy days of COVID-19. Masses and most places are cancelled or closed and it makes everything challenging. I normally like to visit a different parish every Friday during Lent to celebrate the Stations. For me it is a little bit like being a pilgrim in my own city. I had already planned out my whole Lent with which parishes we would visit on which Fridays and where we go out to eat afterward, whether that be a soup supper or fish fry at that church or fish house. My parish was even going to host their first fish fry this year. It has been disappointing to delete the might-have-been-plans each week from my calendar.

But we can still go outside for walks right? I know of at least two outdoor Stations in my area. Last year on a half day of school I met my mom and sister at a tulip farm with my children. Then, since it was a Friday, I was able to talk them into walking the Stations at Mt. Angel Abbey. I had discovered these outdoor Stations two years ago when I attended a women's retreat there. It is so lovely and peaceful, walking up the hill to the abbey through a woodland area; each Station has a little shed with the statues inside and the title of the Station written in German above with Gothic lettering. My German side of the family is from Mt. Angel so I like to imagine that maybe my great grandmother or great-great grandmother walked these stations before me.

Also, outdoor Stations are SO kid friendly! You have little toddlers that can't stay still? No problem, they can run around or run between the Stations. Your children never seem to be able to use an inside voice at church? No worries, you are outside and they can use that outside voice without embarrassing you. Cranky child who doesn't want to participate? No big deal, that child can get all kind the personal space they need either walking ahead, behind or sitting in one spot refusing to move. I feel like all of the stir craziness resulting from the pandemic leads to outdoor Stations being a totally appropriate solution for families right now.

Look, by the end I had lost all but one kid. Actually Deuce and Little Miss were pretty good about the whole adventure. They asked or answered good questions about which Station was which and what their little thoughts were about them. Those two can be quite pious if you get them in the right mood.

We also enjoyed how so many of the little sheds had been decorated for Lent.