Page 22 - The Paduan Summer 2021

The Season of Advent
During the season of Advent, the Campus Ministry Department sponsored numerous opportunities for our students, faculty and staff. Whether it was through daily morning prayer or weekly Liturgy of the Word, they had many opportunities to deepen their relationship with God. We sponsored a “4 Cans 4 Others Drive,” which yielded hundreds of canned goods to support the Parma Food Bank. Opportunities for meditation and reflection occurred live and via Google Meet on Mondays and Wednesdays each week. We held our first “12 Days of Christmas Contest” which encouraged the entire Bruin community to engage in 12 different opportunities for faith development during Advent.
Freshman Retreat
The Class of 2024 was split into four groups over a four-day period for an in-person, socially-distanced retreat. Freshmen heard witnesses from some juniors and seniors about friends, family, Christian service and having a relationship with God. As part of the retreat, students made Easter cards and foam crafts for various non-profits to give out to their clients.
The Season of Lent
Padua’s Lenten Transformation Journey began on Ash Wednesday, with all students participating in a Liturgy of
the Word Service. Students were invited to transform their relationship with God during Lent with acts of almsgiving,
prayer and fasting. During the fourth week of Lent, the students gathered in the Gym to celebrate Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction. We are all called to turn over the stresses and strains of our lives to Jesus. During Adoration, students were encouraged to ask Jesus to take away their stress and to calm their hearts with His peace.
Respect All Cultures Equally (R.A.C.E.)
During the summer of 2020, student leaders began to meet on a weekly basis out of concern for the escalation of racial injustice present in our city and country. Emerging from these summer conversations was a new student group, Respect All Cultures Equally. The service and advocacy group has moderators from Campus Ministry, Counseling, and other departments. R.A.C.E. members organized and celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month in the fall, Black History Month in February, Women’s History Month in March, and Asian-American History Month in May. Additionally, R.A.C.E. members planned the second Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Service.
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