Bishop John Noonan | Diocese of Orland website

More than 35 people participated in a significant event at the Mary, Mother of God Chapel within the San Pedro Spiritual Development Center in Winter Park. It marked the first occasion for Catholics in the Diocese of Orlando to engage with the Stations of Light, an experience designed to convey a narrative of hope and rebirth through the Easter Gospel.

During the event, Deacon Mark Fry guided attendees through the 14 stations, which encompassed Scripture readings, reflections, songs, and prayer. He expressed his hope that participants would feel as if they were part of a special experience. "I think they are going to take with them the fact that they are part of something special," Fry explained. When discussing the 13th Station's message of being "contemplatives in action," Fry emphasized, "We are all called to be servants. We are called by Baptism to spread the light of hope across the world."

Katie Phillips, the program manager at San Pedro, highlighted the purpose of the Stations of Light, which transition from Christ's crucifixion to the celebration of His resurrection and the post-resurrection narratives. "We need to be an Easter people," Phillips stated. "The reason for this prayer experience is to help people remember Christ is still alive and that there is a lot of hope in these post-Resurrection stories."

Originating as 14 vignettes from Christ’s resurrected life, the Stations of Light begin with the angel at the empty tomb and culminate with the Holy Spirit descending at Pentecost. Known also as Via Lucis, the Stations of Light were officially recognized by the Church’s Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgy in 2001, promoting a journey metaphor reflecting a transition from suffering to joy, liberation, and peace.

Participants shared their appreciation for the presentation and enjoyed the message of hope it conveyed, particularly in this Jubilee Year of Hope. The devotion concluded with the congregation singing "Come Holy Ghost," an appropriate ending to the evening's reflections. The hymn underscored the scripture from the 14th Station: “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim” (Acts 2:4).

The event facilitated a deeper understanding of the Christian narrative post-resurrection, resonating with many participants on a personal level.