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Holy Trinity School, Washington, DC

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by Ruth A. Matheny

In this Jesuit school, they have chosen to use St. Ignatius of Loyola's prayer of awareness, the Examen, as they seek to find God in all things.

Another school day is ending at Holy Trinity School in Washington, D.C. In the closing moments, students and teachers in every classroom, nursery school through eighth grade, reflect on the blessings the day has brought. In this Jesuit school, they have chosen to use St. Ignatius of Loyola’s prayer of awareness, the Examen, as they seek to find God in all things.

The oldest elementary school in the District of Columbia—it was founded 190 years ago—was searching for a project for re-accreditation. Says Principal Ann Marie Crowley, who retired last June after 29 years of dedicated service, “We felt our academic programs were strong, with many aspects in place to support a wide range of learning styles. We decided to build upon our Jesuit heritage and work to infiltrate the spirituality of St. Ignatius throughout the school.” The result was a five-year strategic plan, now in its third year.

The Examen, which was the focus of the first year, is the way St. Ignatius reflected on any 24-hour period. For Holy Trinity, it has become a time at the end of each day to look back, thank God for his blessings, and reflect over the day’s events. Where and how was God present? What might have been done differently? The final few minutes were selected as the most appropriate time for reflection, serving also as a calming way to end the day. Originally planned as the first year’s component, the Examen has become a continuing way of life.

Principal Crowley continues: “It was necessary to get teachers/staff comfortable and grounded in Ignatian Spirituality first; secondly, the students; then we plan to do more education and discussion with the parents. Parents are aware of our use of the Examen and have noticed and been pleased with the general spirit of gratitude our students seem to embody as a result.”

For three-year-olds the Examen takes place soon after they wake up from naps. Their blessings are for Jesus, friends and family, pets, and even for a wonderful nap. Their teacher, Susan Tersoff, adds, “In a busy day, and a busy life, the Examen offers a chance for us to slow down, breathe deeply, focus and reflect on our blessings and our actions and interactions with others.”

Fourth grader Mikaela Glass says of the Examen experience, “It feels like God is listening and that everything is peaceful. It makes you feel refreshed and neat.”

Duane Nystrom teaches religion and English and has a sixth-grade home room. Some sixth-grade blessings have immediacy as when students give thanks for good weather for school activities, but see bad weather also as a blessing for athletes with a lot of homework. “We pray for peace in the world,” he says, “but mostly for peace in the sixth grade. We leave room at the end for a standard prayer that we all pray together aloud: The World Peace Prayer is our favorite.”

Eighth-grade teacher Mary Shannon notes that her students “tend to ask for one of two things: either personal blessings for their families or for blessings for people suffering in the world. It [the Examen] has helped to center and focus on the good. It is a wonderful transition from school to outside life.”
And eighth grader Nathan L’Etoile adds, “We often did the Examen together, and it felt like we were a family.”

The last and very significant piece to the project is a focus on service. Says Principal Crowley, “Our parents, teachers/staff, and students are continually involved in service projects based on a value for each month as well as a teaching of St. Ignatius.”

Fr. Kevin O’Brien, S.J., summarizes: “Through continuing education and different prayer experiences, we are gradually introducing our teachers to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. As our teachers become more familiar with Ignatian Spirituality, they build a common bond around our mission as a Jesuit school.”

Our thanks to Susan Tersoff for her assistance in preparing this tribute.

Source: Today's Catholic Teacher, November/December 2008

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