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2023 Ignatian Service Opportunities


Catholic Charities Food Distribution in Mecca
Date: Every Wednesday
Time: 7:00 Am – 10:00 AM
Location: 45-305 Oasis Street, Indio, CA 92201
Age Requirement: NONE

Tasks: Preparing food packages and loading up vehicles for distribution. 
Contact: Juan Lua – jlua@ccsbriv.org or 760-412-1078

Read With Me Afterschool Program – Martin Van Buren Elementary School (Indio)
Date: Daily
Time: 3:00 PM
Location:  47733 Van Buren St, Indio, CA 92201

Task: Xavier students to work with and read with Van Buren students for an hour after school.
Contact: Alena Callimanis - Read With Me Program Coordinator at readwithmeAlena@gmail.com or 919 606-6164

Ignatian Service

The Xavier College Prep Ignatian Immersion and Service Program affirms the dignity of individuals and a compassionate connection to the world community. By facilitating service immersion opportunities, students are challenged to look beyond their worldview, to open themselves to the reality of the people they encounter, and to find God in all things. The Immersion Program’s goals are to inspire students to cultivate a commitment to service and justice, live in solidarity with those on the margins of our local and global communities, and foster a lifelong dedication to serving others.
The formation of Men and Women of competence, conscience, and compassion in light of the teachings of the Gospel is at the heart of a Xavier education. Through Xavier’s Ignatian Service Program, students, in a spirit of openness to growth and Ignatian charity, are invited to practice a faith that promotes justice. In service to others, we come to encounter the living God in ourselves and others, put faith into action, and grow in maturation.

The Ignatian Service Program is working towards reflecting the four Universal Apostolic Preferences established by the Society of Jesus in 2019.

Accompaniment
Time spent in conjunction with an approved partner agency or organization that facilitates direct encounters and dialogue between Xavier College Prep students and vulnerable individuals or communities. As a Catholic institution, we believe in prioritizing relationships above all else to promote unity, reconciliation, and harmony.

Community Support
Essential “behind-the-scenes” structural support for an approved partner agency such as office work, organization, cleaning, fundraising, and helping with supply drives, all of which help our community partners achieve vital goals but do not involve direct encounters with vulnerable communities. Such projects should involve direct encounters with experts in justice-related fields such as food security, hospitality for immigrants/refugees, emergency services, social work, or restorative justice.

Environmental Stewardship
Pre-approved projects or activities that educate our students on matters of ecological injustice and stewardship so that they may become better, more informed stewards of Creation. These projects must be active and/or “hands-on” and should introduce students to new ways of being environmental stewards outside their usual routines.

Advocacy
“Hands-on” projects that offer our students the opportunity to promote and/or engage in community-led solutions-based projects aimed to meet the needs of historically underserved communities. All projects of this nature should afford students the opportunity to be mentored by experts in the field. If a student hopes to organize their independent advocacy campaign, they must seek prior approval from the Director of Ignatian Immersion & Solidarity.

Students are also encouraged to propose their own site as long as it creates space for first-hand contact with people who are underserved or marginalized.

Please communicate with the Dean of Student Life and Formation Office for approval of particular sites before serving!  Also, be sure to call ahead to inquire about specific volunteering forms which may be needed prior to your service; please do not just show up without contacting the organization first. Always remember that you represent the entire Xavier community and the Catholic faith when you serve.

Any questions regarding service sites, or getting a new site approved, please contact the Dean of Student Life and Formation.

 

Mission

The Office of Campus Ministry cares for the whole person, forming women and men with and for others, while proclaiming and witnessing the Gospel. All programing is founded on the tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola, modeled on the life of Jesus Christ, and centered in the rich heritage of the Roman Catholic Church.

Vision

Building authentic relationships with God and others is at the heart of all Campus Ministry programming. Our programs take students out of their daily routine and provide opportunities to reflect on community, spirituality, and students’ own interactions within the world.

Programming
  • Retreats
  • Sacraments & Liturgies
  • Daily Prayers and Examen over PA System
  • Christian Service
  • Christian Life Communities
  • Immersion Trips
  • Summit Week
  • Peer Ministry & Leadership Development
  • Pastoral Ministry & Counseling
  • Living in Faith Class
  • Adult Ignatian Formation
  • Day of Service

All programming respects and welcomes people of all faith traditions.

Partners in Mission

The Office of Campus Ministry advances the religious identity of the school and ministers to the student body alongside the Department of Theology and all faculty and staff. Campus Ministry is guided by a core team of students, faculty, and staff to develop robust programming and reach out to all students.

Complementing academic, theological instruction, the Campus Ministry team provides opportunities and programs for students, faculty/staff, and parents to explore and develop a relationship with God, find spiritual nourishment and rest, and build authentic community outside of the classroom. Campus Ministry is a true oasis in our desert!

Campus Ministry Staff
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