Faith & Service

Campus Ministry

Sophomore Liturgy by Agarwal_0057.JPG

Campus Ministers

Support

Christian Life Communities (CLC)

Small groups of students form CLC groups to support one another in living a Christian lifestyle. Ignatian spirituality is at the heart of these students' desire to form community, to pray and to live their lives in service to others.

Spiritual Direction

Members of the Campus Ministry staff are available for personal spiritual direction, helping the student to see how God is leading him and how he is responding.

Campus Ministry offers unique and challenging opportunities through which students, parents, faculty and staff can deepen their understanding and experience of themselves as human persons and their faith as Christians. We hope to enable each student to develop a deep and lasting commitment to the Ignatian vision of "men for others." Sensitivity is shown for students, faculty and staff of different faiths, with the common concern for the religious and moral growth of all students.

Sensitivity is shown for students, faculty and staff of different faiths, with the common concern for the religious and moral growth of all students.

Campus Ministry activities are designed to promote prayer, both personal and communal, and individual reflection. A sequential program of retreats and days of reflection offers occasions for students to grow in self-knowledge, interpersonal relations, and awareness of God's presence in their lives.

Retreats

Retreats are an essential part of developing young men to be reflective, thoughtful believers. Taking time from the routine of the day and from the busyness of life helps students to gain perspective and to evaluate priorities.

Freshman Retreat

This mandatory Sunday retreat welcomes the freshman class to the Bellarmine community and introduces them to the spiritual life of the school. Freshman, teachers, upperclassmen serving as retreat leaders and those serving as big brothers gather to share a variety of activities including liturgy, prayer, reflection, discussion, hospitality and social activity.

Sophomore Leadership Overnight Retreat

Students are invited, based upon teacher recommendations, to develop leadership skills modeled after the life of Jesus.

Kairos

This four-day retreat is an opportunity for Juniors and Seniors to reflect on self and relationships with God, family and friends. Through the experience of group discussion, prayer and Sacraments, students are helped to see life in a new way, and more fully appreciate the remaining days of high school and the years ahead.

Mother-Junior Son OR Father-Senior Son Retreat

With recognition of God’s presence, this overnight retreat is a time for deepening the bond of love between mother and son or father and son. There is time for sharing, prayer and relaxation.

The Sacraments

Eucharist

Liturgy is celebrated daily. There are also four all-school liturgies, including the Mass of the Holy Spirit which inaugurates the school year, and the Thanksgiving Ecumenical Prayer Service where we gather to give thanks to God for our many blessings, including the diversity of faiths represented by the students and faculty. Freshman, sophomores and juniors each celebrate a mass together as a class and seniors come together with families, faculty, and staff for the Baccalaureate Liturgy prior to graduation.

Students are invited to lector, sing in the choir, share reflections and serve as Eucharistic Ministers.

Reconciliation

During the seasons of Advent and Lent, students are given the opportunity through Religious Studies classes to participate in a communal prayer service in the Leontyne Chapel, privately reflect, make an examination of conscience, and celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Confirmation

Seniors who have not been able to arrange for Confirmation through their local parish may complete their preparation at Bellarmine through the Religious Studies Department. A special Confirmation ceremony is planned in cooperation with the Diocese of San Jose.

Prayer

Each morning begins with a prayer led by a student, faculty or staff member for the entire community. Teachers are strongly encouraged to begin each class with a prayer.

The community takes 5 minutes at the beginning of the day each Friday to pray The Examen of Consciousness, based upon the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, in order for all to become more aware of God's loving presence.