Ministry at St. Mary's

List of 7 items.

• St. Mary's Chapel

  The St. Mary's Chapel, which was dedicated in 2012 by then-Archbishop John Vlazny, is based on the architecture of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, located in Ravenna, Italy. Galla Placidia was a devout Christian and the daughter of Emperor Theodosius I. The mausoleum was reportedly the first Christian building built in the shape of a Greek cross.

  The Chapel features an Italian tile roof, travertine floor, niches for bas-relief sculpture, and thirty-two stained-glass windows produced by local artist Kevin Christman. The art in each of the four arms of the chapel is thematic, representing four stages in the journey of growth and faith: parenting and nurturing; call and response in service; teaching and learning; and sending forth. For information on naming opportunities inside the St. Mary's Chapel please click here.

• Liturgy

  

  For any Catholic school, the opportunity to worship together as a community is a cherished benefit. It is yet another way for students to interact, for faith to be reinforced, and for the greater school community to build a sense of fellowship. There are several ways in which students and families can participate in the spiritual life of the school. Please find below a brief explanation of opportunities which may be a good fit for your interests or talents!

  Class Masses
  Each grade level gathers twice a year for a Mass. All students in that grade are expected to attend and are prepared for the service in their religion classes as part of the curriculum.

  Morning Chapel Masses
  Wednesday mornings at 7:30am, we celebrate Mass. This is an optional service and all are welcome. We enjoy the company of many alumni parents, teachers, and community members as well as current parents and students!

  Rosary
  Friday mornings at 7:30am we say the rosary (optional). Pamphlets and extra rosaries are available in the chapel and again, all are welcome. If this is not part of your prayer toolbox yet, feel free to come and just sit and listen.

  All School Prayer Services
  Thanksgiving and Ash Wednesday are two times when we gather as an entire school body to give thanks to God and to pray together. All students attend and parents are welcome.

• Morning Chapel Services

  From September through May when school is in session, Mass is celebrated weekly on Wednesday mornings before school, at 7:30. Priests from both Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Medford and Shepherd of the Valley Catholic Church in Central Point take turns presiding. Students, faculty, alumni, and neighbors form an intimate and committed group. All are welcome to join us! Please contact Linda Powell (link to e-mail) to be put on the reminder e-mail list. Click here for the daily readings.

• Retreats

  Winter NET Retreat

  St. Mary's also teams with our four local Parishes in welcoming to campus the National Evangelical Team. NET teams are groups of young adults with an interest in ministering to teens. Through small group work, skits, music, prayer and food, students are led deeper into the mysteries of their faith and often come away form the evening retreat with a strengthened commitment to their faith. This is a popular retreat option for students working toward confirmation each year.
  2021 Net Retreat Dates:
  High School February 19 from 6 pm-9 pm.
  Middle School March 10 from 4 pm-9 pm.
  Please contact Mrs. Delgado for more information.

• Ways to Get Involved

  
  

  Random Acts
  Random Acts is a new club here at St. Mary's and is open to High School Students. This club is designed to offer students leadership roles as they initiate creative ways to make students feel welcome, heard, cared for, and celebrated. Our goal is to come up with four or five events for the year.

  Chapel Schola
  Chapel Schola is a club which meets occasionally and is for students who are called to music ministry. These students will prepare for and lead the worship music at the student Chapel Masses.

  Other ways for students to get involved include:
  Altar Serving*
  Eucharistic Ministry (Confirmed Catholics)
  Lectoring
  Interning as Sacristan*
  Musical Support*

  *Community Service hours available

  Free Access to Educational and Spiritual Media

  Take advantage of free access to Catholic Videos, Documentaries, and other educational media through our Sacred Heart Parish connection. 
  

  To register on FORMED enter the Sacred Heart Parish Code: MJM7CZ & create an account.

• Community Chapel Events

  
  

  Carols by Candlelight
  Families look forward to this annual event which involves a lovely mix of musical pieces and assorted readings held in the candle-lit Chapel. Caroling and hot cider with cookies follows in Grace Courtyard where friends and families are invited to linger and reconnect.

  Chapel Art Talks
  Art Talks are also well-attended evening presentations by the artist who created the beautiful stained glass windows and the bronze bas relief sculptures. Kevin Christman brings each piece of art to life as we hear the story of its creation. He discusses the materials and the process as well as the focus of each window or statue and the design choices made. Occasionally we have been lucky enough to have Sr. Mary Pat Naumes join Mr. Christman and speak about the Saint or Bible Story represented in the artwork and why it was chosen for the Chapel. The selection of these pieces was quite deliberate and vision she is able to share serves to heighten the wonder of those present as they sit in that holy space.

• Service

  St. Mary's Service Program is a vital part of the school. Students are devoted to integrating service into their busy schedules. Following the example of our school’s Founding Sisters, students participate in service throughout their tenure at St. Mary’s. Middle School students are asked to spend ten hours a year in community service, and High School students are encouraged to complete at least twenty five hours per year as part of their graduation requirement. It is part of our graduate profile to be a person committed to service. A student’s advisor keeps track of a student’s service and helps students work toward finding projects which fit their individual interests and skills.

  In addition to individual projects, service is woven into our advisory programs, religion classes, and can be found in many programs at the school. Below are just a few examples:
  
  - Mr. St. Mary’s Pageant
  -Partnership with Kid’s Unlimited Charter School in Medford
  -Thanksgiving food drive
  - Casas de Luz service trip to Mexico
  -Working at St. Vincent dePaul

  As a capstone project, seniors give a public presentation to panels of community members, board members, and faculty. These presentations reflect the connections between serving others and our school's mission, as students describe their service experience in high school and consider how they may make a dent in a local or global issue in the future.

  Students wondering if a type of service is eligible should contact the program director, Kevin Keating.