The Office of Campus Ministry, under the direction of the Campus Minister and with the assistance of the Campus Ministry Team, strives to enhance the development of the spiritual and psychological growth of the students of Our Lady of Lourdes Academy. It achieves this goal through the various spiritual programs and events that it fosters during the course of the year.
The Campus Minister is directly responsible for the Peer Minister Program, which fosters the leadership growth and faith development of its members. She is also responsible for fostering the potential leadership growth and faith development of future peer ministers through the Chapel Assistants.
1. Retreats: Retreats for all students including junior and senior encounter with Christ (Optional). After retreats, peer ministers gather once again with their groups and recall and renew their commitments to self, family, friends, and GOD. To see pictures from the retreats, click HERE.
2. Liturgies: Daily Mass celebrated at 7:15 a.m. (This Mass is offered on the birthdays of all our students, for their intentions and the intentions of their families. Parents and friends are encouraged to attend this liturgy. Birthday students receive a special blessing at the end of the Liturgy). Other Masses include school-wide and special occasions, including Mother Daughter Mass, Father Daughter Mass and Grandparents Mass.
3. Prayer Services: Where the school community is brought together to pray the living rosary, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, and Advent, among others. To see pictures from the prayer services, click HERE.
4. Sacrament of Reconciliation: Offered to the students at specific times which are designated on the school calendar and in the Weekly Wire. The school is fortunate to have a full time Chaplin who makes this Sacrament available upon request at any time. Priests from the diocese are also invited to celebrate this Sacrament with our community during Advent and Lent.
In addition, the Peer Ministers attend Christian Concerts, where the Christian community is brought together.
These activities are just some of the many activities that take place under the umbrella of Campus Ministry. Campus Ministry strives to meet the needs of all people and for all occasions. It is the heart and soul of the school.
“Peer Ministry has most definitely brought me closer to God. I have always had a strong faith, but I feel that, looking back, my faith was kept more to myself. Being a part of Peer Ministry has allowed me to be more open about my faith and see all the positive effects of sharing my beliefs with my peers and serving them. It is my first year in Peer Ministry, and I am completely in love with it!
“I honestly feel that being on Peer Ministry has changed me as a person. I feel more understanding of people I may not know and already do know. The other day I was thinking about the reason why I wanted to be in Peer Ministry, and everything I hoped for has occurred. I really do feel that my faith has become deeper - more concrete.”
“The Peer Ministry Office is like one big family. It taught me to truly love God and to open myself up to him. I pray more every day thanking Him. The Peer Ministry Office is a loving community of people teaching and learning from everyone and every experience life brings. I’m glad to have been part of such a family each and every day.”
“I honestly feel like my spiritual life and my relationship with God is so much stronger. I know that high school is hard and stressful, but I also know that the door to the Campus Ministry Office is always open. On several occasions when I've been really upset, I've gone to the office and vented. Peer Ministry has really opened my eyes to God and made me realize that He's always there, always sending signs. I feel like I never really looked for Him before, but now I see Him everywhere. Peer Ministry isn't all about retreats and prayer services. It's about letting God work through each and every one of us to allow everyone else to see His light.”
“Peer Ministry has affected my life, so far, in the way that it has taught me to not give up. It has showed me that although I have not exactly found God yet in someone or something, I know He is there. My faith has shown me to believe He is always there for me, and through Peer Ministry I have learned to keep going and to keep my faith strong.”
“It's given me a home in school. A place I could visit at any time of the day and be welcome. Through Peer Ministry, I've become closer with a lot of the girls in my class, and I've befriended new girls. Moreover, through Peer Ministry I am able to do as Jesus taught us, to serve others.”
“I feel like being in Peer Ministry has helped me become a better person. I knew who I wanted to be and being a Peer Minister allowed me to achieve that. I also feel that it's the spiritual programs that really make girls here feel like they belong. I found where I belong at OLLA through Peer Ministry, and I think that other girls feel the same way, too.”
“Through my experiences as a student and my service as a Peer Minister, I have been able to strengthen my own faith in Christ and minister to the faith of my classmates. The most rewarding experience I have had is seeing my peers leave a retreat with the same love for Christ that I feel for the Christ in each of them. It is in that love that we can find the joy and strength to do all things in His name.”