No matter where you are on the Montrose campus, the chapel is under two minutes away. This fact is something that everyone knows, but no one fully grasps the meaning of it. No one can ever fully understand how incredibly lucky we are to have a chapel a mere walk away from us at all times during the school day. Hardly any other school has a chapel right in the middle of their school, let alone the opportunity to go to Mass every single day. 

“Why?” you may ask. Why are we lucky to have a chapel in our school? The answer is one that should be obvious. Jesus is there. But what does that mean when you can’t see Him or hear His voice? It means that Jesus is fully present in the tabernacle, under the appearance of bread. He is always there, ready to listen to what you have to say or to just be silent with you. In some places around the world, Catholics are still persecuted and have to say Mass in private. They may not have the opportunity to receive Jesus every day or even sit with Him in the Eucharist for long periods of time. We are so blessed to have His presence and caring gaze watching over us during the day. While God is always present everywhere, He is especially present in the Blessed Sacrament.

Throughout my five years at Montrose, I cannot tell you the amount of times I have visited the chapel. Maybe it was just to quickly genuflect before leaving school or just popping in to say a Hail Mary before a test. Or, maybe the stress and pressure of all the different aspects of school and my life were too overwhelming, and I left class because I couldn’t handle it anymore. And there I was; my feet, my mind, my heart, my soul had pulled me to the chapel. Not even three minutes had passed, and my breathing had calmed. I suddenly knew with complete and utter certainty that I could do this. I had Jesus on my side and He was right there with me, watching over me throughout the day and taking care of me.

Even for those who are not Catholic or are currently out of touch with Jesus, the chapel can be an escape — a calm, silent place to recalibrate and bask in how much Jesus loves you.

Lucy Bachiochi ‘23, Contributing Writer

23lbachiochi@montroseschool.org