Students learn about Catholic philosophy not only through academic instruction, but through the activities organized by Campus Ministry. It is what is unique about a Catholic school.
Campus Ministry collaborates with and supports the school by animating and enlivening the spiritual lives of both students and staff in a spirit of love and communion.
Prayer & Sacramental Life
Campus Ministry seeks to teach the whole human person, in his or her intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual capacities, how to stand before God and His Church, and before each other. This is all aimed to take place within the context of a student’s education.
Campus Ministry includes:
- Daily morning prayer
- Weekly chapel Masses
- Monthly school-wide Masses
- School-wide Advent and Lenten Reconciliation services
- Grade level retreats
- Regular school visits from priests (school chaplain and the archbishop’s representative)
Campus Ministry Opportunities
Having a right relationship with God will allow students to take ownership of their faith and through it share his love with others. Various clubs, activities and programs give students these opportunities and include:
Leadership Development: Planning and implementing grade 8 and 9 retreats and other school-wide events and initiatives.
Service & Outreach: Students at STA learn about social justice issues and how they can help. Examples of the initiatives that the staff and students are involved in include –
Good Shepherd Ministry
Every Halloween STA students, in collaboration with the North Shore Catholic Elementary Schools, collect and bag over 10,000 pieces of candy for distribution through Good Shepherd Street Ministries.
Immersion Experiences
Since 2004 the STA Campus Ministry department has sponsored a biannual social justice immersion trip. Students have traveled to Mexico, The Bronx, and most recently to the Philippines.
We believe that Jesus calls us to love others as ourselves; the hope with these immersion experiences is that our students can see how blessed their own lives are and, through encounter, touch their hearts, moving them to action.
Door Is Open
On the first Sunday of every month, STA is responsible for providing the meal at the Door Is Open. We make chili and then serve it to those living on the downtown eastside. We serve about 400 people each time. All students, and their families, are invited to participate.
Connections to the Diocese: Students can come to a deeper appreciation of the greater Church by participating and volunteering in parish youth ministry programs, and by participating in and serving on Archdiocesan event teams such as Spirit Day and Searching in the Spirit.
Retreats
Retreats give students a chance to nourish and enrich their souls by sharing experiences, and reflecting on life through prayer, music and play. These retreats are part of what makes a Catholic education a memorable and powerful experience.
- Grades 8-10 One day retreat
- Grades 11- 12 Three day retreat at Camp Stillwood