IRISH WEEKLY

Campus Ministry

Updates & Info

What an incredible Marianist LIFE Night Friendsgiving we had on November 20! Check out the pictures above to get a glimpse. We enjoyed delicious food and awesome games, and we closed the evening in prayer and Adoration, thanking God for all that He gives us! Special thanks to the over 50 students who shared in this night, our beautiful Meal Ministry team, and Mr. Shadie and Mr. Pamer who both came and joined in the fun!

Some important things to note this week and beyond:

I have to give the Diocesan Office the total number of our 40 tickets we will use for the Matt Maher & Sarah Kroger Concert! If your child and you plan to use a ticket you MUST SIGN UP by 9PM TODAY (November 22). Parents who drive their children are welcome to come and should also sign up if you will drive or are able to take other students. Please talk with your student about the Matt Maher & Sarah Kroger Cathedral Concert on December 8. Please make sure to fill out the Interest Form if you'd like to come (see below).
Grandparents' Day Mass will be Tuesday, November 26 at 10am. Please find the link to RSVP on the Main Irish Weekly and a recent email to parents.
Adopt-A-Family begins! Please see the section below with the information and how to help. On Monday morning the students will receive the Sign-Up Genius links first, and then later that day, an email will be sent to all our families.
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. 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.
Advent is beginning when we return from Thanksgiving Break, and we will be using the Hallow app to do an Advent Prayer Challenge. Prepare your heart for Christmas and rediscover the wonder of Christ’s coming into this world and into our hearts by joining Advent Pray25. The theme of this year’s challenge is “For God So Loved the World,” from John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” We’ll dive deep into the real meaning behind this verse and how it brings to life the depth of God’s love for us – a love so heartbreakingly deep that He gives us, at Christmas, His only Son, knowing the life He was leading Him to. Make the courageous decision to allow God into your life and discover a love that satisfies more than anything this world has to offer! Keep an eye out for more announcements coming soon. Join Pray25 and pray with Hallow this Advent! All of our STUDENTS have access to the Hallow Prayer App. Please check out the information and login instructions below.
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.
Please note that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has clarified that the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8 is transferred to December 9 and so is the Holy Day of Obligation. Due to this, we will be moving our whole-school Mass on December 6 to December 9.

I wish you all a most blessed, beautiful, and safe Thanksgiving and Break! Please rest assured of my unceasing prayers for all of you!

The Peace of Christ be With You,

Mrs. Goshe

Director of Campus Ministry

Adopt-A-Family

Adopt-A-Family is one of the most special giving traditions that we have here at STVM! For over 40 years, we have been giving gifts to families in our Akron community who are in need. This is a tradition that becomes a core memory for alumni and staff. Buying needed items, wrapping presents, delivering gifts, and receiving the heartfelt thanks from the families really changes perspectives and provides gratitude for all that we have and often take for granted.

This year we are supporting 12 families in the Akron area that have different challenging circumstances and could use our help to provide a joyful Christmas.

Each House will be given 3 families to help support this Advent leading to Christmas Break. Sign-Up Genius links will be out in a special email Monday, November 25. I will post them in the links in the Campus Ministry Irish Weekly, and I will also share information and updates with students during Morning Meetings and Theology Classes.

Please know you can help by:

1. Praying for the families and the success of Adopt-A-Family.

2. Buying items on the sign-up genius and bringing them in.

3. Bringing in money for the families.

4. Wrapping gifts before school, during study hall, and after school in the LRC.

Again, Adopt-A-Family Sign-Up Genius' will be sent out to students and then families via email on 11/25. All items should be in by Friday, December 13.

Let's show our true STVM Irish Marianist Family Spirit and live out our Mission to spread the gospel by praying for and participating in Adopt-A-Family 2024!

Students Should Download Hallow App and Login

We have been blessed with a donor who has made it possible for us to have the Hallow App for Schools. Hallow is the #1 Prayer App that is a great resource for strengthening the spiritual and mental health of the school community. All of our faculty, staff, and students have access to Hallow for the entire school year. It is a beautiful prayer tool with so many resources to use. Hallow is an incredible resource! Students should download the app today and follow these instructions below to log in.

Here is how to log into Hallow to start using it today:

1) Download the Hallow app, or log in at http://app.hallow.com

2) Click Log in with Google

3) Enter your school email address

4) You should have access

Join our Meal 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

Matt Maher and Sarah kroger - Cathedral Tour

STVM Campus Ministry has learned that Matt Maher and Sarah Kroger will be coming to St. John's Cathedral in Cleveland on December 8, 2024. Tickets are limited, but the Diocesan Youth Ministry Office is willing to give us 40 free reserved tickets for our students and chaperones. An interest form has been emailed to students. If you are willing to be a parent chaperone and to carpool students to the Cathedral, please email Mrs. Goshe and please also have your daughter or son complete this Interest Form. Thank you to those parents who have emailed me their interest to help drive. Would you please make sure your student completes the Interest Form also?

Service Update

SERVICE UPDATE from Mr. Larlham: Students have asked about how to log our service hours. Here is what students should do:

Log into MobileServe.com using your STVM/Google credentials. Freshman have an email in their inbox from TeamMobileServe that will help them claim their account.
If it is your first time logging in (transfers and freshmen), the website will ask you for a School Code, but you can just "skip this" step.
Similarly, MobileServe wants your phone number as a way to verify your identity.
On the home screen, there is a big blue button that will lead you to a few questions about any service hours you do.
It is important that you provide an email address for whomever is supervising your service. Again, MobileServe will ask you for that as you log your service hours.

Lastly, we are making an important change to our service hour classification this year for Sophomores and Freshman. All students are expected to complete 25 service hours this year. For Juniors and Seniors, you are still expected to complete at least 15 of those hours off campus at local non-profit organizations. Sophomores, you are expected to complete at least 10 hours off campus, and Freshmen are expected to complete at least five hours off campus.

Please email Mr. Larlham (dlarlham@stvm.com) or find him during the school day (Room 231 on Green Days, Room 234 on Gold Days) if you have any questions. Please also see the list of sites where you can complete your service below under the service section of this newsletter.

Attention Seniors: Kairos

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.

Sodality Small Faith Sharing Groups - New GROUPS STARTING SOON!

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.

Prayer Opportunities

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).

Marianist Moment

Marianists believe that Mary is the perfect model of discipleship. She shows us how to love, trust, and follow Jesus better than any other human being. She also encourages us to "Do whatever He tells you." John 2:5

Marianist Martyrs of Madrid - Feast Day November 6

On November 6, the Marianist Family celebrates the feast of Blesseds Miguel Leibar, SM; Florencio Arnaiz, SM; Joaquin Ochoa, SM; and Sabino Ayastuy, SM, who were the Marianist martyrs of Madrid during the Spanish Civil War. These Marianist religious were part of a group of 498 Spanish martyrs who were declared Blessed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.

Prayer: Eternal God, you granted the blessed martyrs Miguel, Florencio, Joaquin, and Sabino, the favor of committing their lives to education under the care and guidance of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the courage to be witnesses to faith in Christ. Grant us the courage to be faithful emulators of their witness in our lives and communities. We pray for your mercy, peace, and justice all over the world. We make this prayer through Jesus, your son. Amen.

Our Lady of Divine Providence - Feast Day November 19

On November 19, we celebrate the feast of Nuestra Senora de la Divina Providencia, Our Lady of Divine Providence, the Patroness of Puerto Rico. Our Lady of Divine Providence has its roots in the Scriptures. It is attributed to Mary’s intervention during the wedding feast at Cana. Christ's first public miracle occurred due to the intercession of his mother. She helped avoid an embarrassing situation for the newlywed couple through her foresight and concern. Our Lady of Providence is sometimes also identified as Queen of the Home.

Prayer: Eternal God, may Our Lady of Divine Providence strengthen your faithful people so that, through her intercession, we may seek your kingdom above all else and receive your help for our earthly needs. We pray for your divine peace to spread throughout the world. We make this prayer through Jesus Christ your Son. Amen.

Marianist Links

Did you know that as a Marianist school, we are part of big family of Marianists across the United States and the world? STVM is just one of 19 Marianist high schools in the United States. To get a greater sense of our larger Marianist Family, please click here to read the latest publication of Marianist Family Online.

We also invite you to download the Marianist App for lots of great resources and information.

It is also important to understand why we, as Catholics, hold Mary in high esteem, call her our Mother, and ask for her intercession. This short video with Fr. Mike Schmitz gives a good introduction and explanation to help us to understand our relationship with Mary.

Campus Ministry Theme, Mission and Vision

THEME - NEW FOR 2024-25 - H.O.P.E. - which is an acronym for: Helping Others Pursue Eternity. This year, Campus Ministry is hoping to help our students not only pursue their own eternity, but also continue to learn how to share their faith to help others pursue eternity too. St. Padre Pio and his saying, "Pray, hope, and don't worry," will be used as we journey in faith through the year. The Jubilee Year of Hope begins with the Year of Prayer, and so, we will help others prepare for eternity as we learn and share how to grow in relationship with God through prayer. Here is a special Litany Prayer to pray each Monday for all our students.

MISSION - Teach, share, support, and live the Mission of St. Vincent- St. Mary and the Marianist Characteristics of Education with an emphasis on invitation and hospitality.

VISION - Every day, every person, every interaction, an encounter with Christ.

Service Opportunities

If students have been earning service hours over the summer, we will be sharing with them how to be sure to log everything. Mr. Larlham, who is in charge of Service at STVM, along with our Administrative Team will also be sharing with all students and families about service with the STVM community as the school year begins.

Here are links to several service locations in the Akron area:

Akron Canton Food Bank

Queen of Heaven Parish Labre Ministry (Green, OH)

ACEing Autism

ATC (All-star Training Club) through UDS

Akron Metro Parks

Cuyahoga Falls Good Neighbors

St. Bernard Hunger Programs

Akron Ronald McDonald House

Catholic Worker Akron

Summa Teen Volunteer Program

Upcoming Dates

Nov. 25 - Adopt-A-Family Sign-Ups Available

Nov. 26 - Grandparents' Day Mass 10am

Nov. 27-29 - No School

Dec. 2 - Advent Pray 25 Prayer Challenge on Hallow Begins

Volunteer and Support Campus Ministry

Volunteer Opportunities

SUPPLY SNACKS: for our Campus Ministry Office (granola bars, bags of chips, and fruit snacks are wildly popular). Please consider sending us a box or two of granola bars, etc. Donations may be dropped off to the Main Office; please clearly label for Campus Ministry. THANK YOU!
DONATE CASH/FOOD: for Marianist LIFE Night. Email Mrs. McKnight if interested.