Bishop Ireton High School held its first Eucharistic procession April 14 in the neighborhoods surrounding the Alexandria school.
After returning from Easter break, the student body gathered in silent reverence on the bleachers on Fannon Field as school chaplain Father Joseph Moschetto brought the Eucharist in the monstrance to the altar set up at the 50-yard line. After a short opening prayer, the 950 students, faculty and staff processed through the streets surrounding the school. They followed Father Moschetto, the Eucharist and eight altar servers in silent prayer and reflection for nearly a mile before returning to the lower parking lot. People from the neighborhood stood along the route and offered their prayers as the Eucharist went by. The students were joined by Father Tom Ferguson ( ’84), pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Alexandria.
After the procession, everyone gathered outside the newly renovated St. Francis de Sales Chapel for closing prayers and traditional music before Jesus in the Eucharist was returned to the tabernacle.
The school plans to hold a Eucharistic procession every year as part of the mission to “Advance Always” with a Christ-centered focus and promote spiritual, intellectual, creative, social and physical development in the spirit of St. Francis de Sales.
