There is no better time or place to begin or strengthen a relationship with God.
As students in a Catholic institution, we have abundant opportunities to grow in our faith. It doesn’t take up a lot of time or take over a day; it simply takes small acts of faith to boost a person’s journey.
One overlooked way to grow in faith is simple prayer. Deacon Ken Goedeke said, “One of the biggest things is carving out time in your daily schedule for prayer. Just like anything you want to get better at, you need to give yourself time to work on it.”
Prayer is convenient since our school has the perfect place to do it. The chapel is always open and available to access from the start of the day until the end. A prayer before the bell always begins the day off right and allows a stressed-out student to enter a positive head space before the chaos of the day.
Even if a student doesn’t know how to pray or just could use some guidance, there are prayer pamphlets all around the chapel, including the Rosary and the Litany of Trust.
There are also group ministry opportunities. The Rosary is prayed every Monday at 3:00 pm after school; on Tuesdays, Mass is held during mod 4 with Adoration during both lunch mods. On Wednesdays, the Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed at 3:00 pm after school, and on Fridays, Mass and Adoration are once again held like on Tuesday. These are all free opportunities available for students to take advantage of.
During her time at JC, junior Olivia Straub became a Peer Minister. “The best way to grow in your faith at JC is to go on retreats. I have participated in retreats through John Carroll, and I’m a better person in general from growing in my faith through them.”
Another opportunity is stopping by the Campus Ministry Office. “The Campus Ministry Office is for students and faculty to come and talk with like-minded people. Also, I, Fr. Zach, and our campus ministers offer one-on-one spiritual accompaniment. Just like a counselor with emotional problems, you can come to us and talk about spiritual problems,” said Deacon Goedeke.
Sophomore Claire Woods spends a lot of time in the Campus Ministry Office talking to peers or staff. “This has brought me closer to God and closer to people who have similar beliefs as me. It gives me people I can talk with about my faith.”
While religion classes may be seen as a credit to most, they are another great opportunity to learn about God and grow close to him. Take notes and absorb the information.
This is a benefit of a private school; students always have the chance to learn about God and the Bible. So, instead of sitting in Religion dosing off, try to take in what the teacher is saying and reflect upon it.
Senior Sydney Fields also believes in furthering spiritual journeys while in school, so she started the Seeking Christ Club. The club meets every Thursday and is a Bible study opportunity for students. It gives people the opportunity to meditate on Bible verses and discuss questions they may have.
Pursuing and growing in faith has so many benefits. “Spirituality is just as important as our intellectuality. Being a well-rounded person means growing spiritually,” said Deacon Goedeke.
Take the leap and join a religious club, come to a prayer service, pray at Adoration, or just stop in the Chapel for a minute. A person is never too old or young for God.