What Are the Stations of the Cross—and Why Do Catholics Pray Them
If you walk into a Catholic church during Lent, you’ll often see people quietly moving from station to station, pausing before small images on the wall. This ancient practice—the Stations of the Cross—is one of the most beloved Lenten devotions in the Church. But what exactly is it, and why do Catholics do it?
1. A pilgrimage without leaving your parish
The Stations of the Cross are 14 moments from Jesus’ Passion, beginning with His condemnation by Pilate and ending with His burial. Early Christians in Jerusalem walked the actual path Jesus took to Calvary.
Over time, as travel became impossible for most people, the Church brought the pilgrimage home. Parishes installed “stations” so the faithful could walk with Christ spiritually, even if they could never set foot in the Holy Land.
It’s a pilgrimage of the heart.
2. A way of slowing down the Passion
The Gospels tell the story of Good Friday with stark simplicity. The Stations invite us to linger—to notice the falls, the faces, the gestures of mercy along the way:
- Jesus meeting His mother
- Simon helping Him carry the cross
- Veronica offering her veil
- The women of Jerusalem weeping
- The final surrender on Calvary
Each station is a pause, a breath, a moment to let the mystery sink in.
3. A devotion that engages the whole person
Catholic prayer is never just words. It’s body, mind, and spirit.
Walking from station to station turns prayer into movement. Bowing, kneeling, standing—these small gestures help the heart enter the story more deeply.
It’s not about reenacting the suffering. It’s about accompanying Christ with love.
4. Why Catholics pray the Stations especially during Lent
Lent is the Church’s forty‑day journey toward the Cross and Resurrection. The Stations help us:
- remember the cost of love
- see Christ’s suffering with compassion, not sentimentality
- unite our own struggles with His
- prepare our hearts for Holy Week
They’re not meant to make us sad. They’re meant to make us attentive—to Christ, to our neighbor, to the places in our own lives where mercy is needed.
5. A devotion that keeps evolving
Some parishes pray the Stations every Friday. Others add music, Scripture, or reflections from saints. Pope John Paul II even introduced a “Scriptural Way of the Cross” that follows the Gospel narrative more closely.
But the heart of the devotion never changes:
Walk with Jesus. Let His love shape yours.
post inspired by Easter at the Mission by Sula, parish cat at Old Mission.
Description
Discover Easter Through the Eyes of a Church Cat!
Join Sula, the now-famous church cat, on a fascinating journey through the meaning and traditions of Easter in her fifth book! With her signature mix of history, Catholic dogma, and humor, Sula explores questions like:
🐾 What is Easter, and why is it called the Paschal Mystery?
🐾 Why do Catholics observe Lent, Ash Wednesday, and Holy Week?
🐾 What are the traditions behind Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday?
🐾 How do these events lead to the Easter Vigil and Easter Morning?
Beautifully illustrated by Uliana Yanovich, this engaging book is filled with people-cat pictures, making it a delightful read for cat lovers, history buffs, and anyone curious about Easter’s deeper meaning.
🐱📖 Whether you're a lifelong Catholic or just learning about Easter, let Sula be your guide through the traditions, symbols, and spiritual significance of this sacred season!
🔹 Perfect for readers of all ages
🔹 A must-have for Easter book collections
🔹 A fun and insightful gift for cat lovers & faith seekers
Keywords: Easter book for Catholics, What is Easter?, Catholic Easter traditions, Lent and Holy Week explained, Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, Why is it called the Paschal Mystery?, Easter books for cat lovers, Sula the Church Cat books, history of Easter in Catholicism
5-Star Review on Readers' Favorite by Rebecca Winer
Easter at the Mission: A Cat's Observation of the Paschal Mystery by Sula Parish Cat at Old Mission is told in the voice of the cat who lives at the Old Mission San Juan Bautista in California. This is the fifth book about the Mission written by Sula. She roams the chapel, the grounds, the cemetery, and the mission gift shop. Sula is fed and loved by many who come to the Mission and are frequently greeted by her. Sula calls God 'the Boss.' This book concentrates on what Catholics believe about the time from Ash Wednesday through Resurrection Sunday. The Stations of the Cross are explained. The structure of the Mass changes during the time from Palm Sunday through Resurrection Sunday.
My favorite part of Easter at the Mission by Sula Parish Cat at Old Mission is the humor. I learned some things about history, such as St. Francis trying to peacefully end the Crusades. I found it interesting that for Ash Wednesday the ashes are made by burning the past year’s Palm Sunday branches. I appreciated that people can learn how Easter and Lent are determined on the calendar, which explains why Easter is on a different day each year. The pictures of Sula roaming around the Mission help us understand that it is a real cat, not just a fictional one. I have learned things about the Catholic faith. I especially liked the part where the cat explains to readers about the Stations of the Cross. I think this book would be great for Protestants to read to better understand what Catholics believe.
To listen to the trailer for Easter at the Mission, click HERE.
Listen to the story on KSBW television about Sula HERE.
Watch Sula at home at Old Mission SJB HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Read an interview: Mudpie Interviews Sula
To purchase copies of any MSI Press book at 25% discount,
use code FF25 at MSI Press webstore.
Want to read an MSI Press book and not have to buy for it?
(1) Ask your local library to purchase and shelve it.
(2) Ask us for a review copy; we love to have our books reviewed.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OUR AUTHORS AND TITLES.
(recent releases, sales/discounts, awards, reviews, Amazon top 100 list, author advice, and more -- stay up to date)Check out recent issues.
Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC?
Check out information on how to submit a proposal.
We help writers become award-winning published authors. One writer at a time. We are a family, not a factory. Do you have a future with us?Turned away by other publishers because you are a first-time author and/or do not have a strong platform yet? If you have a strong manuscript, San Juan Books, our hybrid publishing division, may be able to help.
Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start? Our author au pair services will mentor you through the process.
Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book in exchange for reviewing a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com.
Want an author-signed copy of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com.Julia Aziz, signing her book, Lessons of Labor, at an event at Book People in Austin, Texas.
Want to communicate with one of our authors? You can! Find their contact information on our Authors' Pages.Steven Greenebaum, author of award-winning books, An Afternoon's Discussion and One Family: Indivisible, talking to a reader at Barnes & Noble in Gilroy, California.MSI Press is ranked among the top publishers in California.
Check out our rankings -- and more -- HERE.
Comments
Post a Comment