Students returned to school ready for a year of learning, service, and faith. To help the students with their faith, Prep made a big addition on just the second day of school: a mass during Tuesday breaks. Prep has held a service every morning at 7:40 for years, without great attendance. In addition to the early morn- ing masses, the church hosts mass at 9:50 every Tuesday. This new mass is optional for all students, meaning if a stu- dent needs to study, he does not lose his break. At a recent Tuesday Mass, it seemed to attract a good amount of stu- dents. There was about one student per six teachers ratio in attendance.
The mass only lasted seventeen minutes and all attendees still had plenty of time remaining to get to their third period. The students who attended thought the mass en- joyed the condensed break from school life and liked how they could connect to their faith during the school day. Nick Ylaya, class of ‘26, even referred to the service as a “shot of Catholic espresso.”
The students who did not attend the mass liked the little extra break that allows them to study a little extra or just take an extra break from Prep’s rigorous school days. Many thought of the addition as a conve- nient break and a good opportunity to go to mass. Most students when asked said they “would consider going” sometime during the school year. The main consensus among students who both went and didn’t seem to be that the mass allows them to keep in touch with their own faith during the school day.
