Be a Servant. Be a Knight.

At St. Francis de Sales School, Campus Ministry refers to a department, as well as a student organization. In general, the department is responsible for creating opportunities for spiritual expression, formation, and development.

The conveyance of the liturgical and seasonal life of the church and Salesian spirituality is also the job of the Campus Ministry department, as is the job of helping and encouraging students and faculty alike to work for a more just society. To this end, the Campus Ministry department plans and organizes a variety of liturgies, prayer services, and retreats, as well as service, social, and educational opportunities for those in the St. Francis de Sales community.

Besides the Campus Ministry Department, there also exists a student organization commonly referred to simply as “Core Team.” Members of Campus Ministry & Core Team help to plan and execute the many programs and events sponsored by the Campus Ministry department. The group is led in conjunction with the Director of Student Life.

Here are some of the many roles that are played by students involved in Campus Ministry:

• Mass servers

• Eucharistic ministers

• Liturgical planners

• Lectors

• Retreat leaders

• Thanksgiving basket coordinators and deliverers

• Prayer leaders

• Coordinators of Advent project

 

Thanksgiving Baskets

The annual Thanksgiving food drive and basket delivery is an old and honored tradition here at St. Francis de Sales School. Each homeroom is assigned a particular Thanksgiving food item, such as corn, green beans, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc. Every student is then asked to bring in and donate the item assigned to his homeroom, as well as a donation of $2.00, which helps to cover the purchase of turkeys, butter, and bushel baskets. From these collected food items, approx 50 baskets are assembled, each basket comprising a complete Thanksgiving dinner. The baskets are blessed at the Thanksgiving Mass and are then delivered by students and parents to families in need throughout the greater Toledo area.

The Thanksgiving food collection for the 2023-2024 school year is scheduled to begin on Nov. 6th. Food assignments will be posted in each homeroom. On November 21, 2023, the Thanksgiving Mass and basket delivery will occur. If you would like to be a driver for the basket delivery, please contact Mrs. K.C. Vitaniemi, the Director of Student Life, at 419-214-5456, or at kvitaniemi@sfsknights.org. The delivery generally occurs from approximately 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  

 

Student Retreats

For students at St. Francis de Sales, retreats are a regular part of life. Retreats afford students the opportunity to step out of their day-to-day routine for the purpose of, among other things, self-evaluation, rejuvenation, spiritual growth, and the strengthening of relationships. Participation in retreats can greatly aid students in the development of their character and in choosing the direction of their lives. For this reason, all students are encouraged to participate in a retreat during their Freshman year, their Sophomore year, and at some point between the beginning of their Junior year and the end of their Senior year.

For more information, contact Mr. Michael Petro, Campus Ministry at mpetro@sfsknights.org.