One of the most beautiful features of St. Ann’s is the outside Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross received its original name from the Via Dolorosa or the “Way of Sorrow” which marked the route that Jesus took to his death through the city of Jerusalem. Pilgrims who travel to the Holy Land make it a point to pray the Via Dolorosa as part of their experience. To the surprise of many the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem is literally in the midst of the city. To take this journey in Jerusalem you begin at the Mount of Olives and proceed to the Gethsemane which is located in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

In the 14th century the Franciscans formally organized pilgrimage walks so people visiting the Holy Land could follow the steps of Jesus and walk with him the Way of his Cross. Devotion to the Way of the Cross spread to people’s homes and began to appear in parish Churches.  Every Church and chapel hasthe Way of the Cross usually in a position that encompasses the entire body of the interior of the Church to highlight the pilgrimage nature of this prayer.  As we strive to walk the Way of Jesus the Stations of the Cross allow us to journey with Jesus in his sufferings so we can have hope as we struggle with our sufferings and the suffering of the world.

At St. Ann’s the Stations are located in the midst of the Memorial Walkway.  They offer a beautiful and prayerful setting for anyone who wishes to meditate on the passion of Jesus.

We invite you to pray these Stations on this website.  You will see a picture of each station as they appear at St. Ann’s. The mediation following each station were written as a kind of examination of conscience, using each station as a reason to reflect on our own fidelity in the way of the cross.  These mediations were written and given to us by permission of Fr. Philip Kreilein of the Diocese of Evanston, IN.  Fr. Phil shared these with Fr. Jim Price, C.P. the Rector of St. Ann’s during Fr. Jim’s continuing education course in Jerusalemin June of 2010.

We hope that these meditations will allow you to prayerfully reflect on the gift that the Stations of the Cross can be for us as we strive to walk the Way of Jesus.