Inter Faith Prayer Service

The serene calmness of Harmony Week culminated in an Inter Faith Prayer Service on February 9, 2023. The academic year 2022-2023 is ending in a month. The two years of Covid lockdown have taught us to be grateful for every opportunity, every blessing, and every fulfilled dream. The inter faith prayer service encompassed the gratitude of the Management, staff, and students for a year of new learning, successful events and holistic development.

Jesuit ethos creates a secular environment in the school campuses that are under their banner. To promote equality to all sections of society; to create respect for all irrespective of caste, creed, and ethnicity; and to allow for widening of the mindset of the very young, the school has a number of events to bring to the fore the need for secular inclusivity. The Inter Faith Prayer Service, held twice a year, is the step in the direction of fulfilling the goals thus mentioned.

The Prayer Service commenced with the lighting of the symbolic lamp, followed by a prayer calling on the Almighty with a grateful heart. The Vice Principal, Mr. Brian McKertish, in his message, said that gratefulness was a feeling, an emotion and an experience of kindness shown to others and thankfulness was a need to express that experience. Through short stories and incidences, he put forth the thought that we need to be grateful for the prayers answered and for the prayers unanswered as God in His wisdom knows what is right for each one.

The prayer service continued with a beautifully woven tapestry of the readings from the Holy texts interspersed with hymns and bhajans. All the readings and reflections were themed on gratitude sprinkled with the values of religious tolerance and inter religious harmony. Also portraying the sentiments of harmony, was a rhythmic dance performance. The prayer service, in totality, was solemn and serene, re-iterating the message of gratitude to our Creator.

The proceedings of the morning of 9 February 2023 made sure that amid the uncertainty of the post Covid era, the fear and uneasiness of the approaching final examinations and the ambiguity of diverse religious propaganda, the students still retain the uniqueness of their faith in equality, fraternity, and religious tolerance.