A straightforward, 2-minute video produced by and recently posted online by East Catholic High School students in Manchester, Conn., calls for an end to "prayer shaming." Their message: "Enough is enough. It's time to take a stand. Today, students at East Catholic High School rise up and declare that we're more concerned with God than we are with being politically correct."
"No more prayer shaming. Let's bring God and prayer back into our lives," stated the text accompanying the video, which to date, has had 325,282 views in one of the online formats.
The students encourage viewers to watch and share the video to further their "powerful message." The video is still making its way around Facebook, with currently more than 20,000 shares.
In the video, the students share they feel recent mass shootings have created calls for both prayer and God, both of which have been "publicly shunned" over the years, reports News 3.
The video then shows various students holding up signs that speak of recent national tragedies, such as the San Bernardino, Calif., shooting during which 14 people were killed.
The students question why God and prayer have not been a bigger, more public part of the healing process. Then, they answer their own question by stating it is part of long-standing prayer shaming across the country.
They said their goal is to end that.
"Being thousands of miles from San Bernardino or maybe not being able to stand next to someone who has experienced tragedy today, prayer is a way that our community comes together and shares our commitment to peace," said principal Jason Hartling, East Catholic High School.
"It allows our students to feel connected and that their actively working towards the betterment of society."
Many reactions to the video were positive, such as from Gary Rhodes on Facebook: "Wow! That is just awesome. Thank God that some people still have the courage to say...enough is enough!"
Thomas Paniconi stated: "You touch a nerve with the idea of 'prayer shame' I think it extends to 'Christian shame' too. Encouraging to identify and then push back! The world and individuals need the love of God. Thank you."
Francine Fleming thanked the students for speaking up for "We The People," and taking a stand for God and prayer. "All Christians must band together to counter the 'progressive' attacks, the absurd political correctness and the full-blown attempt to completely remove God from America. 'In God We Trust.'"
East Catholic High School is a regional college-preparatory school of the Archdiocese of Hartford.
