Welcome to Campus Ministry at Saint Mary’s Catholic High School! Our department is committed to providing all Saint Mary’s students with an opportunity to respond to Jesus’ invitation to ‘follow him.’
While attending St. Mary’s, students will be given ample opportunities to participate in retreats, mission trips, pilgrimages, discipleship groups, and Christian service. By immersing themselves in Campus Ministry, students are answering their baptismal call to participate fully and actively in their Christian faith.
The purpose of Campus Ministry is to commit ourselves to the spiritual development of the young men and women who enter Saint Mary’s. It is our goal to create an environment that compels our students to continue practicing their faith in a way that is attractive and genuine upon graduating.
We invite all students to stop by the Campus Ministry Office and introduce themselves, as well as to participate in any of the events that we offer. To learn more about Campus Ministry , please check out our New to Campus Ministry Page. We look forward to the upcoming year!
New to Campus Ministry?
Sacramental Life
During the academic year, Saint Mary’s offers two daily Masses, all-school Masses, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation during lunch.
Connect with a Spiritual Director/Mentor Spiritual Direction is one of the most important things we offer to our students at Saint Mary’s. Paying attention to God with the help of a spiritual companion can make an important difference in all areas of life. Please click here to contact Saint Mary’s alum and Campus Chaplain, Fr. Marvin Soto or Campus Ministry, Mrs. Samantha Villalobos for more information about Spiritual Direction.
Need to talk? We understand that high school can present many different cares, concerns, hopes and fears. We invite students to consider Campus Ministry as a resource for helping navigate this time in their lives, whether discerning the answer to difficult decisions, such as college, or challenges with friendships and life outside of school. Let us help you to think about how your faith can give you a new perspective. Learn more here.
Parents Help Us Out Campus Ministry is always in need of helping hands, especially from parents. If you’re interested in attending a Retreat, assisting with Mass setup, or simply becoming more involved, we’d love to have you. Please email Campus Ministry, Mrs. Samantha Villalobos, svillalobos@smknights.org .
Need to talk?
We understand that high school can present many different cares, concerns, hopes and fears. Whether students are trying to discern the answer to a difficult decision, such as college, friendships, or grieving the loss of a family member, we invite students to consider Campus Ministry as a resource. Let us help you to think about how your faith can give you a new perspective.
In partnership with the Office of Guidance Counseling, there are staff members on-site who have a special responsibility for helping students discern life’s difficult questions. While openness is highly encouraged at Saint Mary’s, there are diocesan Save Environment limits that need to be recognized. The faculty and staff at Saint Mary’s itself has limits. We want you to be aware that while we are strongly committed to protecting the confidentially of our students, we have a moral and legal responsibility to report the reasonable belief of abuse, physical injury, or neglect of a minor. As responsible adults, we will file a report immediately with law enforcement and state authorities. The one and only exception is during the Sacrament of Reconciliation, in which confidentially cannot be breached.
Grief support
The death of a family member or friend is a life altering event that each person responds to in his or her own way. Many have found healing and understanding through discussing their journey with others.
Campus Ministry in conjunction with the Office of Guidance Counseling provides resources for students who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or significant other and are now ready to enter into the grieving process. If you have any questions, please feel free to email Mrs. Samantha Villalobos, svillalobos@smknights.org, Celia Barry, cbarry@smknights.org, Nora Talavera, ntalavera@smknights.org, or Ashley Mager, amager@smknights.org.
Family support
Although high school is a pretty busy time, it is really easy to believe we suffer alone. Whether it is parents divorcing, siblings with severe depression, terminally ill family members or a dozen other issues that weigh on our minds and impact our daily lives, we tend to bottle up our stress and sadness and push it down in an effort not to bother anyone else or hurt our grades. Others always seem to have everything put together and their families are perfect, right? But do you feel isolated and different? You are not the only one.
Spiritual Direction is one of the most important things we offer to our students at Saint Mary’s. Paying attention to God with the help of a spiritual companion can make an important difference in all areas of life. Fr. Bolding and Fr. Vietor are available to meet with students who have an established prayer life and want to explore how to grow even more deeply in their relationship with God.
Spiritual Companionship: There may be times when you need guidance or support in dealing with a specific pastoral issue or concern. Some of these may include relationships, sexual identity, addictions, grief and loss, and vocational discernment. There are also times you may need someone to pray with. You may want to meet with someone just once or a few times to discuss the issue. Fr. Marvin Soto is happy to assist you in finding the appropriate person. Please email Fr. Soto, frsoto@smknights.org.
Retreats
Kairos The Kairos retreat embodies the value of the Catholic faith as lived and experience in community. Students are given the opportunity over a three night/four-day retreat to look within themselves and find true worth as people in relationship with God, family, and friends. The Kairos retreat is offered to juniors in the Fall and Spring.
Class Retreats Retreats are offered every year for each class. Retreats are Christ-centered and systematic and each retreat has a core emphasis. The underclassmen retreats are led by a chaplain, campus minister, and local youth ministers. They take place at St. Mary’s in the auditorium.
Freshman Retreat - The Freshmen Retreat focuses on the theme of the Fatherhood of God and virtue. Over the years, the freshman retreat has been an opportunity for freshmen to build community with one another, as well as to feel included in their own spiritual community here at Saint Mary’s.
Sophomore Retreat focuses on service. Sophomores a given an opportuntiy to practice faith in action by volunteering at Feed My Starving Children, Saint Mary’s Food Bank, and Saint Vincent de Paul Food Pantry.
Junior Retreat focuses on the theme of everyone’s primary and secondary vocation. Diocesan priests, religious sisters, and married couples are invited to this retreat to share their vocation stories.
Senior Retreat takes place at Mount Claret Retreat Center in Phoenix, AZ. The Senior Retreat focuses on sending seniors forth into life after high school. Talks include how to vote with a Catholic conscience, how to be Catholic in a secular profession, and how to keep your faith alive in college.
Discernment Retreat 12 girls discerning religious life travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan to spend a weekend with the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.
Pilgrimages & Mission Trips
Walk for Life in San Francisco and March for Life in Washington, D.C. – Over 60 Juniors/Seniors attend these events to stand in solidarity with the unborn and promote the right to life
Sophomore Mission Trip – 15 sophomores are selected to serve the residents of Klagetoh, Arizona. Services include building sheep corrals, painting homes, cutting firewood, etc.
International Pilgrimages – In the past students have gone on to the following places: Poland; Rome; El Salvador; Mexico (Miacatlan); Washington, D.C.; San Francisco; and Klagetoh (Arizona).
Philosophy Participation in Christian service is an integral part of the life of a Saint Mary’s student. Each student is asked to go beyond simply doing good works for the sake of the works themselves and learn to respond to the needs of others with true mercy and charity as their guide, becoming aware of their responsibility to be of service to those in need.
Christian Service Opportunities The aim of a classical liberal arts education is to form the whole person, thus we expect our students do good for God and for others. Saint Mary’s desires all of her students to develop a steadfast disposition for service. Many opportunities exist throughout the school year to make life more pleasant and meaningful for others. To ensure that our students meet their Christian responsibilities, all clubs and teams are asked to commit an evening of their time to serving the less fortunate. Saint Vincent de Paul will be our primary place of service.
Announcements will be made to students about volunteer opportunities. They will also be posted in the Campus Ministry Room where a list of service opportunities at the parish, community, and school are provided. Furthermore, each class will host a school event, which will be under the direction of the class moderator and in collaboration with Student Council and Campus Ministry. Through these events students will have an opportunity to serve, whether it be putting on a Las Posadas prayer service for the community or raising money for Catholic Relief Services during Lent.
Students are expected to demonstrate leadership and initiative by organizing a variety of projects that benefit their local community. Regular visits to Maggie’s Place, collecting goods for a homeless shelter, and parish involvement are but a few examples of students’ honorable work.
School-Wide Service Opportunities at St. Mary’s Catholic High School have included:
