Purpose

"Loving the God we cannot see, by loving the neighbor we can."

As a Catholic school, it is important to nourish our personal faith, community life, and commitment to social justice, as well as education. Since we cannot be all together this semester, the Campus Ministry team wanted to give you a space that would serve as your virtual Room 206. Here, you can find information about retreats and service hours, as well as other resources such as contact information, music, and prayers and meditations. More information and resources will be added as the school year continues, so make sure to check for updates weekly!

Upcoming Service Opportunities

  • Mat Making

    • Make mats out of plastic bags to give to those experiencing homelessness

    • Finish a mat, get 10 service hours, so you can work on this at home!

  • Environmental Justice

  • Pop Tabs

    • Collecting Pop Tabs goes to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Detroit

    • For every 20 pop tabs you collect, you can earn 1 service hour

    • Bring them to school in a bag, jar, or sealed envelope with your name clearly labeled

    • Seniors, you have until May 20

    • Final day to submit pop tabs is June 1

Saint of the Week

St. Catherine of Siena

Patron Saint of Italy

St. Catherine was born on March 25, 1347. She was the 23rd child, but half of her siblings did not survive childhood. As a child, Catherine was cheerful, intelligent, and extremely religious. When she was 16 years old, Catherine's sister Bonaventura died, leaving her husband as a widow. The sisters' parents thought that Catherine should marry Bonaventura's widow, but she opposed this decision. She cut off her hair to appear "less attractive" and her parents eventually abandoned the idea. When she was 18, Catherine joined the Dominican Third Order, which allowed her to join a religious society while living at home instead of secluding herself in a convent. For the next few years, she served those in need by giving away her family's food and clothing. But Catherine lived a quiet, isolated life. When she was 21, the future saint at a mystical experience, where her vision told her to reenter public life in order to help the poor and sick. Her public ministry quickly attracted followers, who helped her serve the poor and sick. As she continued her public ministry, Catherine was drawn into the world. She traveled, calling for reform in the church and for people to love God totally. She involved herself in politics, urging Italian city-states to remain loyal to the pope. She was extremely dedicated to uniting the church during the Great Schism. She is credited with composing over 400 letters, her Dialogue, which is her definitive work, and her prayers. By 1380, 33 year old Catherine became very ill, likely due to her extreme fasting. She could not eat or drink and eventually could not use her legs. She died on April 29, 1380. Catherine was canonized in 1461 and in 1939 she was named a co-patron of Italy. Pope Paul VI declared the saint a Doctor of the Church, one of four females honored with this title, because of her influential Dialogue and prayers. Catherine's feast day is April 29.

Source: https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=9

Image Source: Saint Catherine of Siena, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Catherine_of_Siena#/media/File:Catherine_of_Siena.jpg

Campus Ministry in the Classroom: Corporal Works of Mercy

Bury the Dead

The Corporal Works of Mercy are ways we should treat others and how we can serve their physical needs. According to the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, they "are charitable actions by which we help our neighbors in their bodily needs." Essentially, the Corporal Works of Mercy are actions we can take when we ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do?" Burying the dead is the sixth corporal work of mercy. The work of mercy is often practiced through attending funerals. Funerals are an opportunity for people to grieve for the loved one they lost and respect their life, as well as show support for living loved ones. Effects of the pandemic make it more complicated to bury the dead. Funeral attendance may be limited or restricted, if they even happen at all. Other ways to practice burying the dead is to pray for those you have lost. You can also visit the cemetery and pray and remember their life. It is also important to provide comfort for the living. You can do this by sending cards or calling to check on people who have lost loved ones. What are other ways you can show respect for the dead? How can you show support and comfort in an isolated time?