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The Office of Campus Ministry works to foster the mission of St. Mary's Academy by sponsoring activities that support faith, spirituality and the development of young women.
All-school liturgies are held at key times during the academic year including Founder's Day in October, Christmas/Advent in December, and Holy Week in April. Students are invited to help.
Campus Ministry & Service (CMS) Team is a group of students whose focus is the art of pastoral ministry and its application in prayer, worship, faith-sharing and community service in the life of SMA students. Members of CMS earn .25 credit per semester as a religion elective. This is a new and growing part of our ministry at SMA.
Freshman Quest: Day-long retreat geared for freshman year students; offered winter term and led by members of the Freshman Integrated Team and CMS Team student members.
Sophomore Awakening: Day-long retreat geared for sophomores; offered spring term and led by both adults and CMS Team student members.
Junior Encounter: Three-day weekend retreat geared for juniors; offered fall and spring terms and led by both adults and select CMS Team student members; Encounter focuses on building and empowering relationships with God, self, and others.
Senior Metanoia: Three-day weekend retreat geared for seniors; offered late spring term focusing on the journey of life, especially the transition from high school to college.
Service is an important part of what it means to be a graduate of St. Mary's Academy. The school's mission statement outlines a clear call to service with a special concern for the economically and emotionally poor and disadvantaged. Students are encouraged to integrate service into their lives, to make service a lifelong commitment.
Every year all students participate in 4.5 of service through Hands Full of Heart. On this day, the St. Mary's community provides direct and indirect service to many loyal service agencies. Many students participate in Friends Across Generations, a program unique to St. Mary's in which students regularly visit a senior citizen in downtown community. At Christmas, we gather food, hygiene items, and gifts for families in need. In addition, the CMS Team plans and organizes one major service project per quarter that is open to all students. There are always other opportunities arising during the year to help those in need.
There are many ways to participate in service at St. Mary's. All students are encouraged to be socially aware and contributing members of society. Every student has an opportunity to put their faith into action.
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