Happy Advent!  The liturgical season of Advent is a beautiful time to prepare and order our hearts and live for Jesus' coming.  Here is a great video from Bishop Robert Barron sharing what Advent is all about.  At Morning Meeting we have been praying and lighting our Advent Wreath.  The Advent wreath symbolizes hope, peace, joy, and love, and it is a spiritual guide for preparing for the birth of Christ.  Learn more about it here.  During this first week of Advent, we are reminded to be people of HOPE.  Here is a short 5 minute video on what the Christian Virtue of Hope to watch, as it is hard to have HOPE if we don't really know what it is.  

There are so many great ways to prepare your heart and your home for Advent.  Here is a website with several ideas for Advent. 

Some important things to note this week and beyond:

• March Kairos is filling up! January has plenty of spots -- students only miss 2 days of school for the January retreat, and it is awesome to be there in the snow. Applications for January Kairos are due by DECEMBER 18! If you are a current Junior and think you want to be a Kairos Leader for the '25-'26 school year, you must see Mrs. Goshe and attend the January Kairos.    NO MATTER WHEN YOU PLAN TO ATTEND, PLEASE GET THOSE APPLICATIONS AND PAYMENTS IN TO SECURE YOUR SPOT! The dates are January 19-22 or March 23-26.  Kairos applications are available for the next two retreat dates in Mrs. Goshe's office. Please don't let cost keep you from attending.  Just reach out to Mrs. Goshe. Please see the Kairos section below for information and also to print the application.

• ALL STUDENTS get the HALLOW Prayer App for free!!  Look at the Login Instructions below and join us for the Advent Pray25 challenge.  Students who download the app and participate regularly in the challenge throughout Advent will celebrate at an Epiphany Party with Mrs. Goshe in the New Year. See login instructions below. Please click below to pray a beautiful Litany of Let Love we are praying on the Hallow.  Parents, right now Hallow is offering 3 months free. So, please join us this Advent, too!

• 3 New Sodality groups have begun!  We are looking to start a female freshman/sophomore group, a junior/senior male group, and a junior/senior female group.  What do you think? Is this you?  Please email Mrs. Goshe if this is you. Also see the section below to learn more so you can discern if this is for you. 

Praying for an incredible ADVENT for every single person.   Please rest assured of my unceasing prayers for all of you! 

The Peace of Christ be With You, 

Mrs. Goshe

Director of Campus Ministry

All parents are invited to join the meal ministry for Marianist LIFE Nights. Each month, a group of parents plan and donate items to create a nice meal so that our students can gather in fellowship and nourish their bodies before they nourish their souls! Please consider donating an item or your time to help serve. These meals are truly a highlight of Marianist LIFE each month. To join our SignUp/mailing list, please email Barbara McKnight at mcknighteb@windstream.net 

Kairos Retreat is a retreat that truly celebrates and culminates our seniors' time here at STVM. It is an experience that many of our past seniors have shared was their best experience at STVM. Kairos means "God's Time" and is a retreat led by students for students. The talks and exercises of this retreat center around the revelation of God's love as we experience it in our lives. Adults participate as co-workers with a student team that is built from previous attendees of a Kairos retreat. These 4 day/3 night retreats are held at Loyola Retreat House in Clinton, OH.

The dates for remaining Kairos Retreats this year are:

January 19 - 22 (deadline for application and payment: Dec. 18)

March 23 - 26 (deadline for application and payment: Feb. 28) 

Kairos Applications and Retreat Forms are available to print here and are also available to pick up in the Campus Ministry office. Kairos Leaders will be speaking in Theology classes and answering questions, but If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Goshe.

3 New Sodality groups have begun!  We are looking to start a female freshman/sophomore group, a junior/senior male group, and a junior/senior female group.  What do you think? Is this you?  Please email Mrs. Goshe if this is you. 

Campus Ministry is seeking students interested in forming small faith sharing groups. The groups will be single-sex groups of 5 to no more than 8. The groups will commit to meeting for one hour, once per week. A Catholic mentor from outside the STVM community will, after receiving both ministry training and VIRTUS (the Diocesan program, Protecting God's Children) training, journey in faith with the small group. Groups will do an initial study and then, working with their mentor, determine the next faith step activity.

Students interested in learning more or becoming a member of a Sodality Small Faith Sharing Group should complete this Google form. If any students or parents have any questions about this new endeavor, please email Mrs. Goshe.

Campus Ministry would like to continue to increase the amount opportunities offered to pray together.  If you are interested in learning more about any of these opportunities, please email Mrs. Goshe.

Monday - Pray the Litany for Students (together or alone and wherever you are)

Tuesday - Divine Mercy Chaplet - 3pm - Pray it using Hallow App

Wednesday - 5 Minute Prayer in the LRC immediately after school

Thursday - 15 Minute Lectio Divina/Scripture Study during lunches in Campus Ministry Office

Friday - First Friday Masses at 7:15am, every other Friday Rosary at 7:25am. All day Adoration 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month (parents welcome).