Chapel

As an Episcopal School, we strive for academic excellence, seek to instill a commitment to the service of others, and strive to create a school community that is as diverse as the city of San Francisco. Our Episcopal identity is expressed in a variety of ways, and most notably, through our Chapel gatherings within the magnificent Grace Cathedral.

 

Chapel serves as a platform for communicating our school’s values. It offers an unparalleled platform for the advancement of public speaking. It is used to host dignitaries, renowned speakers, and musical guests. It provides a location in which our entire school community can gather to support one another and our boys.

 

Also important is the use of Chapel to recognize and learn about the religious and spiritual practices of our community. To this end, we invite religious leaders throughout the Bay Area to speak to the boys and to teach them about the world’s religions and to help develop an important level of understanding within each student.

Gathering for worship in Chapel is essential to what it means to be a member of Cathedral School for Boys. An alternative to the busyness and distractions of contemporary life, Chapel is a time to gather for music, prayer, stories, silence, and reflection. As a space where boys learn to listen and speak from the heart, Chapel promotes a genuine sense of belonging, integrity, and trust. Its sacred purpose connects us to the awe, beauty, and mystery of the divine. Even for those who are agnostic or atheists, Chapel is a place of celebration at times of joy, a place for reflection and dialogue in times of difficulty, and the first place we turn to in times of grief or crisis. Chapel services provide us with a common platform, a common language, and a common expression of who we are.

In Episcopal schools, the study of religion is considered part of what it means to be an educated, literate, and reflective person. Through scholarly exploration and experiential education, we use the majestic space of Grace Cathedral as an entry point for understanding spiritual and religious approaches to life, arts, culture, and the practice of justice.

 

Lower School students learn about religion by exploring the diversity of holidays, festivals, and rituals found within both the Episcopal tradition and religious traditions throughout the world.

 

Each year in Upper School, students have Religion class integrated into their ongoing curriculum. Grade 5 and 6 students explore faith and spirituality by focusing on the stories, practices, questions, art, and locations central to world religions. Grade 7 and 8 students compare the lives, leadership, and philosophy of key figures, including Moses, Jesus, Plato, Buddha, Krishna, Muhammad, Saint Francis, and Martin Luther King, Jr. The Religion curriculum culminates with each Grade 8 student writing a spiritual or philosophical treatise about himself that becomes his ‘Chapel Talk,’ which he delivers before his family, classmates, and teachers during Upper School Chapel.

 

We do not ask people to hide their religious identities or let spiritual questions go unasked. Rather, we embrace the study of religion as a way to deepen an understanding of self and others, one that offers all students the opportunity to explore ultimate questions of God, faith, and meaningful ways of life.

Cathedral School for Boys is located on the campus of Grace Cathedral, a flagship Episcopal church designed to be "a house of prayer for all people." We are intentionally an Episcopal school with a pluralistic community. There is a common conviction on campus that we cannot experience joy or reach the truth apart from diversity—it’s not extra; it’s essential to our humanity. 

The Episcopal Church is a unique branch of Christianity and its schools provide an education that is inclusive of all people, all faiths, and all questions. To be an Episcopal school means not only expecting our boys to ask the great religious and moral questions of our time, but it also means sharing how the Episcopal tradition -- past and present -- provides unique answers to those great questions. The pluralistic approach of exploring uniquely Episcopal answers alongside the unique answers of neighboring spiritual traditions makes for a healthier, more openhearted, and global education. Our hope is that each boy graduates with a stronger understanding of, and appreciation for, the value of life-giving faith traditions and religious practices.

Monday: All-School Chapel
Once a month, the entire school gathers on Monday to sing, listen to special guests, and celebrate special events. Monthly Monday chapels introduce a monthly theme and include celebrations such as Day of the Dead, Lunar New Year, Black History, Women’s History, and AAPI and Hispanic Heritage Months. 

On Tuesdays, the Lower School gathers for a Lower School Chapel with songs and spiritual talks that are age-appropriate for our younger boys. The last chapel of each month includes a special “Birthday Blessing” for the boys with a birthday that month.

On Wednesday, the Upper School gathers for Upper School Chapel led by the Student Vestry, a team of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade student leaders. This is when Chapel Talks are given by eighth graders and faculty members. The talks are often set to a theme. Once a month, instead of the regular Upper School Chapel, we celebrate the Holy Eucharist which is open to any boys who wish to receive it.

The beloved Hymn Sing is every Friday. We sing hymns selected by the boys, as well as hear an anthem from the Choristers. Each Friday features a Blessing of Good Samaritans – where we recognize those students and adults within the school who have gone out of their way to engage in acts of kindness, love, or justice. Hymn Sing is also the time the Chaplain offers special prayers based on timely events or on requests made by a member of the community.

Typically held the day before the Thanksgiving Break, this beloved service is an opportunity to invite close relatives and family friends to participate in an all-school service. This service features reflections of gratitude, written and delivered by the boys, for specific grandparents, classmates, and teachers within our community.