THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 27, 1995 TAG: 9501270064
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E14 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: TEENSPEAK
SOURCE: BY PATRICIA BARNES, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
PRAYER IS PART and parcel of daily life at Catholic High School in Virginia Beach.
``It gives sort of an added dimension to school . . . more of a spiritual dimension to your growing process,'' said senior Matthew Snyder, 17.
Students at Catholic High pray several times a day, he said. The private, religious-affiliated school observes important Christian holidays and celebrates Mass at times throughout the year.
Matthew was one of six Catholic High students who were asked this week: What role does school prayer play in your life? All agreed that prayer was an important part of the fabric of the school.
Kids who go there from public schools say that at Catholic High, ``people have so much more respect for everything, for their teachers, for themselves, for everyone around them,'' said Chesley Fentress, a 16-year-old junior.
Chesley said she thinks the school's spiritual environment is important for non-Catholic kids who go there, too.
``They get a different sense of values than they would get in public school,'' she said.
Jennifer Griffith, 17, a senior, said, ``A lot of people think we all have to pray in the same way,'' but that isn't the case. Students can participate in their own ways, she said, including those of other faiths.
While everyone agreed that prayer was an important influence at Catholic High, opinions varied on what role it should play in public schools.
Chesley said she thought some students would be offended by it.
``That's why I support the moment of silence,'' she said, because it allows the freedom to pray but doesn't force anyone to do so. ``I don't see how anyone could find that offensive.''
Others said they thought prayer should be allowed so long as it is voluntary and nonsectarian.
Matthew said the principle of separation of church and state should not be invoked to deny all expressions of personal faith in public schools.
Geoffrey Buescher, 16, who favors the moment of silence, agreed with that point. He noted the language of the First Amendment with respect to religious worship. It states: ``Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.''
``It's not about praying,'' the junior said. ``It's about establishing a religion.''
All of the students said Catholic High's retreats, organized for each grade level, help forge bonds among the students and play a big role in their spiritual development. When they come back from retreat, they said, they're more likely to greet each other in the halls, to look out for one another when problems crop up.
Kimani Lewis, a 15-year-old sophomore who attended public school last year, wasn't so sure about that at first.
``The guidance counselor told me . . . that we had to go on retreat. The first thing that hit me was, `Oh, we're going to be praying all day. I can't do this; I'm skipping that day.' My mom was like, `No, you're not skipping.' So I went that day.''
He was put with a group of kids he didn't know, but by the end of the day, that had changed. ``I really grew personally,'' he said.
The teens acknowledged that Catholic High is not for everyone but said it's right for them.
``I sometimes say I'd rather be in public school, but I'd rather be here,'' Kimani said. ``Public school is just too many people, too many things going on. Here, everybody knows you and everybody knows your business.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos
by CNB