DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — On a recent Monday afternoon at St. Francis College, students buried in their phones and laptops couldn’t help but get distracted by a procession making its way through the school’s corridors. 

Led by sophomore Isa Videlis, coming down the hallway was a group of undergrads paying tribute to the Blessed Mother with a rosary procession on Oct. 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Videlis and 11 other students met outside of the Downtown Brooklyn college’s chapel at 2 p.m. to pray the rosary, reflecting on the joyful mysteries — traditionally prayed on Mondays.

The procession was then led by students Joshua Alejandro and Daniel Castro, carrying a cross and a painting of the Blessed Mother, covering two floors of the university before returning to the starting point at the chapel. 

Along the way, the students stopped at various points to pray the Hail Mary at stations set up by Vidales. Afterward, she expressed that the procession was a positive experience that got her out of her comfort zone. 

“I honestly was a little nervous going around the school,” she said. “Sometimes, I am afraid of saying that I’m Catholic out of fear of judgment because I don’t want to be labeled as ‘the church person,’ but what the heck? Own up to it.”

The sight of a rosary procession might not seem unusual at a Catholic college, but the student body at St. Francis College includes many non-Catholics unfamiliar with the rosary, according to Brother Greg Cellini. 

Cellini, a Franciscan friar who is the director of the college’s Office of Ministry, Mission, and Interfaith Dialogue, said 35 different faith affiliations are represented on campus. 

If the procession caught students’ interest, all the better, Vidales said. 

“I think it brought people peace,” she said. “Maybe people don’t really understand what we’re doing or what we’re praying for — who we’re praying to — but it’s the little ways that God comes into people’s lives. And that could open a door to faith.”

Vidales organized the procession for the college’s Franciscan Month, a celebration with events planned throughout October to honor the school’s patron saint, St. Francis of Assisi, who advocated for peace throughout his life.

For some participants, this was an opportunity to return to the faith. Daniel Castro, a junior, admitted that he hadn’t prayed in four months. 

“I say this felt really good because it was a sacrifice,” Castro said. “I have three midterms this week — today, tomorrow, and physics on Wednesday. I sacrificed the only tutoring hours for physics to be doing this rosary procession today. 

“One of the best ways to get back into praying is also to sacrifice something,” he noted, adding that he is now committed to praying daily. 

For others, like senior Serene Arana, who helped organize the procession, it was a chance to publicly express their faith. 

“I wanted to do this because I truly want to make the rosary more known by our school. It’s a beautiful prayer,” Arana said. “People might not understand what it’s like to be devout at a young age. They may prolong it until they’re older, but it’s truly fulfilling to start now because God is calling us at every age to be with him.” 

Christian Tipping, a senior, said public expressions of faith can set an example for young people. 

“The younger age is very encouraged, but they feel lost and confused,” Tipping said, “and being in that age range, I know how it feels. So practicing things like this (rosary procession) really helps encourage others.”

Brother Cellini also underscored the 2 p.m. timing of the rosary, which he said was perfect because it gave students a chance to take a mid-afternoon break and engage in peaceful prayer.

“I think how wonderful it is that they can go through a bit of a frenetic Monday, come to 2 o’clock, and say, ‘Okay, time to take a bit of a respite,’ ” he said. “Let’s put the phone away. Let’s put the books away for 35 minutes and participate fully, be fully present, which they were.”