Giant cathedrals, beautiful stained glass windows and quiet prayers in foreign languages are just a few of the moments students experience during Xavier College Preparatory’s summer trips. Whether walking through traditional churches or learning about other cultures, students discover how religion has shaped both history and the world today.
Every summer, Xavier offers a variety of international trips in which students can take part. These trips incorporate multiple destinations across the globe, including England, France, Spain and Peru.
Alison Mead, English teacher, moderated this year’s England trip. Combining both literary landmarks and historic religious sites, students tour locations connected to authors like Jane Austen while also learning how religion has formed the history of England.
“Overall, these experiences remind us that we can appreciate the beauty of these churches, no matter what our faith is,” Mead said.
From Winchester Cathedral to Westminster Cathedral, students attend Mass, analyze architecture and reflect upon how faith has impacted the country’s past. Mead mentions that the religious sites visited throughout the trip help students understand how unifying the Catholic faith can be.
The France trip, moderated by Stacy Seger, French teacher, gives students a chance to explore both art and faith. Stops include famous landmarks such as the Louvre, Sacré-Cœur and Notre Dame.
“It is very moving being in the big cathedrals in Europe. They were built to make people feel in awe of God. There is beauty in those stone buildings,” Seger said.
While in Paris, students attend Mass, learning prayers such as The Sign of the Cross in French. Here, students are able to experience the universal nature of many Catholic traditions.
The trip to Spain involves tours in Madrid and Toledo. Alexandra Gutierrez, Spanish teacher who guides this trip, said that students can study how Spanish art and architecture aided in the spread of Catholicism.
Regardless of language fluency, Gutierrez noted that the trip is open to anyone. With this, students can recognize that faith and culture is a global concept, moving beyond speech and dialect.
During the visit to Madrid, Toledo Cathedral is toured. Students walk under towering ceilings, rows of stained glass windows and beautiful Gothic architecture, learning how art has taught many about the Catholic faith throughout history.
The Peru trip, also led by Gutierrez, is built upon Xavier’s collaboration with La Inmaculada School in Lima. While visiting, students shadow Peruvian hosts and take part in volunteer activities.
A religious highlight in Peru includes Mass in Cusco. At Mass, the service is spoken partially in Quechua, bridging the gap between religion and culture.
Catholicism is also blended with Incan traditions. Students have the chance to understand the Spanish’s influence of Catholicism through religious artwork, the rosary, and church designs studied.
At each destination, Xavier students not only explore new countries, but also learn how religion has had an influence on society. Visits to cathedrals, Masses, and historic monuments allow them to be reminded of how Catholic traditions can connect communities around the globe.
Whether in English, French, Spanish, or Quechua, each prayer carries the same significance. “Going to Mass abroad helps us know that Catholic means universal,” Seger said. “It helps us to feel a connection to people whose language you may not speak. That’s the beauty of Mass.”
