Starting at 7:15 a.m., math teacher Kayla Moylan prepares for her morning prayer group. As she puts different colors of pens and a stack of notecards on the table, the first student walks in the room and she starts to prepare her heart for prayer.

Moylan started a women’s prayer group this eyar that typically meets every Thursday morning.

“I just think it’s nice for the school to have a place where students can find other students that want to pray together,” Moylan said. 

Moylan started the group to give students the opportunity to grow closer to God.

“It’s nice to have a place where other people are coming to pray with you, but also pray for you if you need it,” Moylan said.

The group was formed in early October with the first meeting being October 5th.

“I really had on my heart to try and start a group that prayed together regularly,” Moylan said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Moylan got together with some friends over zoom and started a mini prayer group.

“We prayed over Zoom with some friends during lunch last year, and it was really good,” Moylan said.

The prayer group starts each meeting with reading the Gospel of the day followed by Mass.

“The Gospel brings life to your heart and brings the Lord to your heart,” Moylan said.

Moylan got the idea of praying with the Gospel from the nuns she used to live with.

“We (the nuns she lived with) prayed with the Gospel a lot,” Moylan said. “The Gospel is like the words that the Lord gave us and spoke on Earth.”

Senior Maria Nguyen has been a part of this group since the beginning of the year. She said it was a great experience.

“I just kind of wanted to try something new,” Nguyen said. “And it’s my senior year, so I might as well try to make as many connections as possible.”

During one of the meetings, Moylan was able to bring the Sisters of the Lamb to come and teach everyone a unique way that they pray. The sisters will repeat certain parts of the gospel over and over, known as Manducation of the Gospel by doing the Transmission of the Word.

“They taught us kind of like a new method of prayer, praying with the Gospel, which I thought was super cool,” Nguyen said.

At each meeting, after reading the Gospel, everyone goes around and shares something that stuck out to them.

“I like listening to other people, because it helps me have a new perspective on the Gospel, not just the story or the facts,” Nguyen said.

The group is still growing, with about 10-15 going to each meeting. It is open to any girl who wants to continue a strong relationship with God.

“You don’t have to be super Catholic or anything,” Nguyen said. “You just have to show up and have an open mind.”

Moylan is set to continue the group for next year, and for years on after that.

“I hope to continue to grow and let more people know about it, so that more girls come,” Moylan said.