Malvern Community Shares Prayerful, Powerful Stations of the Cross

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” John 3:16-17

Malvern Prep has been performing the Living Stations of the Cross every year since 2006. The cast puts on two performances during Holy Week. The first is on Palm Sunday, and the second takes place on the last day of classes before Easter Break.

“Living Stations is truly a living meditation on Jesus’ passion and resurrection - the readings, music and tableau scene for each Station create an aura of reverence in which the students involved bring to life the events of Holy Week for our community,” said English teacher Nikki Wilkinson.

The history of the Living Stations

“The Living Stations are an expression of a medieval custom of remembering the Passion of Jesus. Pilgrims during the crusades were not able to go to the Holy Land to see the places where Jesus lived, suffered, died and rose to life. Many shrines were built in Europe to remember those holy places. St. Francis of Assisi in the 12th century developed the first form, which was very close to what we celebrate today with the ‘stations.’,” said Rev. Chris Drennen, O.S.A. ‘73, Malvern’s Director of Augustinian Identity.

“Medieval Europe also had the custom of Morality Plays, in which Biblical stories would be enacted to teach a mainly illiterate people the faith. The Stations of the Cross accomplish the same task. By reenacting these sacred events, Christians could learn the basic stories of the faith without the availability of bibles and the ability to read. Malvern’s Living Stations recaptures this ancient tradition by including contemporary and sacred music into the stations. It is a wonderful expression of so much God-given talent and hard work that makes the program such a success.”

The history of the Living Stations at Malvern

Ed Liga, Director of the Liturgical Music Group, and Jim Fry, Director of Student Life, started the Living Stations of the Cross - also known as The Way of the Cross - when both were teachers at Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School (Drexel Hill, Pa.) in 1998.

“We directed two performances at Bonner, but then I left to come to Malvern in 2000,” said Liga.

Fry joined Liga at Malvern in 2002. It would be another four years before the Living Stations, as it is currently performed, would come to fruition.

“When the performance was first performed I was helping Jim [Fry] with the directing,” said Director of Christian Service Larry Legner. “As Jim’s responsibilities grew over the years, he stepped out of the Living Stations and I took over the direction of the performance.”

Two of Malvern’s faculty members were involved in the Living Stations during their time at students.

Englisheacher Jason Sammartino ‘04 was a member of the Liturgical Music Group when he was a student at Malvern. They provided accompaniment for the Stations of the Cross.

“It was much more traditional when I was a student,” said Sammartino. “Students would carry the cross, do the readings and move from station to station in the Chapel.”

Stephen Borish ‘10, science teacher, also sung in the Liturgical Music Group and Men’s Chorus during his time as a student. During his tenure, he experienced the Living Stations performed in both the Chapel and the Duffy Arts Center.

“The Chapel was a much more intimate experience, particularly in terms of sound and acting,” he said.

Malvern Prep hosted the Living Stations of the Cross in the Chapel in 2006 and 2007. When the Duffy Arts Center opened in 2008 the decision was made to move the performance over to the Duffy Center.

The selection process, and why it’s important

“I will not let you embarrass yourselves. As long as you’re willing to put in the time, you will know this show before you do it,” is how Legner started off the first Living Stations practice.

The selection process for Living Stations is quite different from that of a normal show or musical. Legner does not hold auditions, neither does Liga.

Legner approaches each student individually and asks if they would like to participate in the Living Stations performance.

“I try to select seniors who are not already ‘outfront’ - meaning, they might not be the star of the football team or the lead in the musical. I want to give other students the opportunity to shine,” said Legner. “There is joking around at rehearsal, but once they put on that costume they put on that character. They know what they’re doing is prayerful. They are leading everybody in that auditorium in prayer.”

Liga tries to feature students that might not have had other opportunities to be a lead.

“It is important to spread the wealth and give each student the opportunity to solo, if he would like that opportunity,” said Liga. “A student may approach me and express interest in having a solo, and if that happens I try to place them in a song where they are best fit.”

While it may seem daunting to hand select students, neither Legner nor Liga find it difficult.

“Discovering new talent that I might not have otherwise thought of is one of my favorite parts of the process,” said Liga. “This year we have a freshman, Garrett Hallinan, and he was a great discovery. He’s excited about performing and willing to make the commitment.”

As for Legner, well, he sees the value in a student's participation in the Living Stations.

“It gives them a huge amount of responsibility and leadership.This is a wonderful learning experience for these students to be able to know what it’s like to go from nothing to a standing ovation,” said Legner.

Chris Brown ‘16 was chosen by Legner to portray Jesus Christ. He recognized that it was important for him, and the other performers, to lead the entire community in a prayerful, reverent experience.

“All the people that came before me, that were Jesus, they all did such a good job and I just want to make sure I uphold that standard and portray the correct feel of the stations,” said Brown.

“I don’t think you could find a more Christlike person that Chris Brown to portray Jesus and lead us all in prayer,” said Rev. Jim Flynn, O.S.A. after today’s performance.

Twenty boys and girls from Malvern Prep and Villa Maria Academy participated in this year’s performance.

The art of the performance

Malvern’s Living Stations of the Cross performance is a testament to how engaging the story of the Passion of Jesus is when historical events are juxtaposed with modern music.

“Great art makes the connection to something that everyone can understand,” said Associate Director of Communication and PR Jim Mack.

“All of the performances are unique in their own right,” said Liga. “The first time we had the performance in the Duffy Arts Center was exciting. It was the first time we staged it with lighting and incorporated that kind of theatrical action. It’s pretty incredible when it all comes together.”

The performers take the audience on an prayerful, reflective adventure that enables them to connect what happened 2,000 years ago to today.

“Showcasing the Living Stations at Malvern gives the students an opportunity to see what we, as a Catholic institution, are founded on. Easter is the greatest holiday in the Liturgical Calendar. It proves that Jesus is God. Seeing it makes it real,” said Legner.

There is always a moment in a performance that stands out greater than the rest. It might be when Jesus is traveling through town with his cross, or perhaps it was when the guards raised him on the cross. For Legner, it is when the Apostles remove Jesus from the cross and lay him in Mary’s lap.

“That is such a moving experience. As a parent you think, ‘what would this be like? Having your child and holding him?’ The apostles then carry Jesus through the auditorium. Everyone gets the opportunity to get close to him, it is so moving.”

Bigger that the sum of its parts

“It’s a family,” said Borish. “Everyone has to work together.”

Liga noted that the Living Stations is bigger than the sum of its parts. While the two groups (Liturgical Music and the actors) rehearse apart, they are working to build a sacred performance for the audience.

“When the music is combined with the live-action on stage it takes on a life of its own,” said Liga.

“It is an honor to be part of the Living Stations, to be able to bring that to the community. I look at it like a prayer service. Those kids do a great job. It’s a wonderful feeling for me to see them be successful. To have the parents and the audience grateful for what they’ve done is awesome,” said Legner.