Rosaries dangled on a metal grid held up by cinder blocks as concrete poured into the foundation of Paul VI Catholic High School’s new chapel in Loudoun County. As the building of the school’s new home continues, even more religious articles will be placed in the ground.
“The foundation of our lives is prayer, and I thought — let’s make it the literal foundation of the school,” said Father Stephen J. Schultz, chaplain.
For the “Foundations of Faith” program, Father Schultz is asking families and friends of the school to send in old rosaries, medals, crucifixes and other religious items that are too worn or broken for use. “People collect (old religious items) and they don’t know what to do with them. They don’t want to throw them away, so the pious tradition is to bury them in the ground and that’s what we’re doing at Paul VI,” he said.
Additionally, the school purchased rosaries and left them in the chapel for students to use. Later, they’ll be passed along to the contractor to be placed in the foundation.
“(The students) are very excited,” said Father Schultz. “There’s a tremendous amount of enthusiasm thinking that it’s going to be part of that foundation and that their prayers are building up our new home in God’s grace.”
Father Schultz hopes to carry on the program until at least the end of the school year. “Obviously, our prayers will continue (beyond),” he said.
Find out more
To have a retired religious item buried in the foundation of the new Paul VI Catholic High School building, drop it off at the school’s front desk or mail it to 10675 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax, VA, 22030, Attn: Fr. Stephen Schultz.
