b'A TIME PRAYTO Activity stops as Vianney students join Marianists worldwide for The Three Oclock Prayer. By Dave LueckingThe din quickly swells in Carrie Mitchells religion classroomat St. John Vianney High School. The bell has rung, the lastclass is over, and the end-of-day vibe is unmistakable.Theres talking. Theres laughter. Theres shuffling of books,backpacks and bodies. Even the quiet few checking their phonesshift with anticipation of what comes next20 teenage boys racing,jostling and roughhousing en route to a doorway designed for one.All the while, they pay vague attention to the final PA announce-ments, and thenNothing. Everything stops.Theres no talking, no laughing, no shuffling. The end-of-day vibevanishes, just like that. The race to after-school practices, projects,jobs or games will have to wait.Its time to pray.When the announcements transition to prayer, the students qui-etly rise from their desks, look upon the Crucifix sculpted by lateMarianist Brother Mel Meyer and make the Sign of the Cross.For the next 33 seconds, the students recite The Three OclockPrayer, gathering in spirit at the foot of the Cross with the BlessedMother and St. John the Apostle at the hour of salvation.A similar scene plays out across the hall in Keith TouzinskysSTEM laboratory and in every other classroom, office or hall at theMarianist school in St. Louis. But Vianney isnt alone in that regard;other Marianist schools, ministries and outposts in the U.S. andthroughout the world set aside time for the prayer. At about 3 p.m.every day, The Three Oclock Prayer supersedes all activities, withlocal custom dictating the exact time. PHOTOS BY SID HASTINGSSenior Louis Mrnjavac and classmates make the Sign of the Cross before sayingThe Three Oclock Prayer at St. John Vianney High School in St. Louis. Marianistsaround the world cease activities for the traditional prayer.marianist.com/donate 5'