Campus Ministry &
Serviam Program

Campus Ministry  |  Serviam Program

Campus Ministry 

Rooted in the traditions and values of St. Angela, our patron saint, we are committed to the total development and uniqueness of each student and strive to prepare our young women to achieve their fullest potential.

The Campus Ministry Department offers the students many occasions to experience community worship, service, and a chance to deepen their relationship with God and others.

A school liturgy is celebrated each month.  Liturgy is also celebrated as part of all the annual retreats.

The sacrament of reconciliation is offered to all students during the season of Advent and Lent.

The Peer Ministry program for seniors prepares them to become leaders for the retreat program.  This program involves a deepening of their personal faith life.  Peer ministers prepare and lead prayer services during the seasons of Advent and Lent.  They also prepare and share prayer every Tuesday morning with students during the homeroom period throughout the entire year.  They also often help in other capacities.

Students who are Eucharistic Ministers in their parishes are also invited to serve as Ministers at our school liturgies.

Weekend retreats are held for Juniors and Seniors.  The retreat team consists of members from the Ursuline faculty, alumnae, and a priest.  These weekends enable our young women to participate in and experience Christian community, reflect upon their priorities, to deepen their relationships with their classmates, and ultimately to know and experience God in a special way.

The 7th through 10th grade retreats are full day retreats.  They are conducted by the Peer Ministers.  Since we consider the spiritual formation of our students to be an integral part of the religion program, we have scheduled the retreats during school time.

Students also have many opportunities to provide service for others in the student service organization known as S.O.S. (Students offer Service).  Some of their activities are planning Mission Day each year, collecting food for the poor during the Thanksgiving season, clothing children during the season of Advent, collecting prom dresses for Belle of the Ball, along with doing various service projects throughout the year.

We hope these activities, along with the service hours the students are expected to complete each year, will enable our students to become aware of the needs of others and to experience the joy of giving.

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Serviam

In keeping with Ursuline's motto, "Serviam: I will serve" and the Christian call to reach out to help others, each student is required to perform some type of community service in keeping with her abilities and interests.  Our goal is that each student comes to know the joy of giving others her most valuable gift - herself - and one of her most precious resources - her time.

Expectations

Hours of Service:

• Grades 7 - 9       30 hours of service per year
• Grades 10, 11    40 hours of service per year
• Grade 12           40 hours of service per year, plus an additional three weeks in May

Application and Contract:

Each student must find her own service project, keeping in mind her interests, availability and site location.  Each project must be approved by the coordinator and the contract signed by the student and her parents.

What counts as service?

Service is defined as:

• help given without pay or other compensation
• help given to those who could not afford to pay
• help given which benefits people directly

We encourage student creativity in finding projects for service and strongly suggest that students look for a way to serve that allows them to interact with others in a way that improves the quality of life of those being served.

Service Log:

The student records the dates and the hours of service each time.  The agency confirms the recorded information. 

Discussion or Sharing of Experience:

Students are expected to discuss their projects several times a year with a faculty adviser.  Seniors have the opportunity for a formal presentation at the end of the May release time.

Evaluation:

Students are expected to complete the self-evaluation forms of their experiences.  A completed evaluation form must be submitted to advisers at the end of each school year.  Seniors are expected to keep and submit a journal. 

The following list is offered as a stimulus to
creative thinking about possibilities for service.

• teach or assist in a school and/or a CCD program
• visit the elderly, shut-ins
• coach an athletic team
• transport the elderly to grocery store, church, doctor, etc.
• work for an organization, e.g. Pulse, St. Vincent de Paul, Samaritans, Por Cristo, CYO, etc.
• work at a food pantry
• babysitting during Sunday Mass
• school projects
• work with the handicap, special children/adults 

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