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I am Thankful for My Faith
A Gay Man’s Reflection on His Faith and Church
A gay student reflects on his place in the Catholic Church after attending the Parliament of World Religions.
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Chocolate Syrup
A Prayer of Yes
Campus Ministry's retreats director, Victor Lemus, wrote a prayer of yes that he shared as the prayer in the Campus Ministry team meeting.
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An Invitation to the Humble Life
Rev. Laura Brekke, the director of religious diversity in Campus Ministry, said in her concluding remarks at last week's shared Catholic and Protestant Ash Wednesday service, "I hope you shrug off the need for validation by a world that is interested in monetizing and consuming you. I hope that you see the gift and grace that grows from a life of prayer, and honest relationships, and of seeking justice for those oppressed." Read her entire sermon here.
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The Value of Presence
A few weeks ago, a group from the Communitas RLC visited a nursing home to deliver tulips for Valentine’s Day. While we intended to bring cheer to homebound seniors, we also faced the uncomfortable reality of not knowing what to do...Pope Francis reminds us to bring God’s mercy to the world through our daily lives. But what if mercy is not so much an action, but a way of being?
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The End
Final Reflections from a Graduating Senior on Faith, SCU and how both influenced each other
Some final reflections from an SCU senior on how his faith grew, didn't grow, and was refined by Santa Clara University.
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Day 1: Parliament of the World's Religions
Summary and reflection on the first day of the Parliament of the World's Religions in Salt Lake City, Utah from the perspective of one student.
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Day 2: The Parliament of The World's Religions
A personal experience about a student's journey to Utah to experience an incredible and life changing event. An event in which 10,000 people from 50+ faiths come together as one, praying for peace and justice for all humanity.
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The 35th Anniversary of the Death of Oscar Romero
A life, a love, a Martyrdom
Oscar Romero died 35 years ago from today. What does his life, his death and his beliefs mean for all of us?
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Chapter One
First Year Reflections
A student's reflections and lessons learned from her first year at Santa Clara University. College is a short season of life - with its fair share of challenges and blessings- but one that is to be cherished and embraced.
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A Sophomoric Season
An often overlooked year has some significance
Our first, junior, and senior years are full of cliches. But what is sophomore year all about? Discuss.
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Real Recognize Real
Sophomore Aidan O'Neill digs into the deeper meaning of the passing "Hello, how are you?" and ensuing "Pretty good" response.
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Lay Your Burden
As we struggle to find peace in the challenges we face in our daily lives at college, let us turn to One who is bigger than our circumstances.
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The Houses That Eight Bullets Built
When it comes to commemorating the UCA martyrs, their legacy can have global implications. Gus Hardy reflects on how the murder of the Jesuits has affected his study abroad experience in the Philippines.
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Lenten Lessons
Kendra Clark challenges popular views of Lent and invites us to consider other ways of acting during the Lenten season. What has your Lenten practice been? What do Kendra's words invite you to consider?
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The Next Level to Service
When volunteering isn't enough
Santa Clara University upholds the Jesuit value of "being a man for others." But Father Boyle, a Jesuit and author of Tattoos on the Heart, challenges whether service is the ultimate goal, or merely the means to an end.
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Is it Even in English?
Junior Gus Hardy explains how an overlooked theological concept may help shed a new perspective as we begin lent this season
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Breaking Routine
Aidan's back to consider how to live as a Christian on a daily basis. How do we orient ourselves? How do we find God in all things, even the most mundane tasks? Enjoy reading it and feel free to make comments and ask questions in the provided section.
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Check your privilege, y'all
Marissa recently had an impassioned interaction with friends on Facebook about privilege. Her blog entry here is a response she posted to the thread on hr profile, which was prompted by the following article: http://groupthink.jezebel.com/to-the-princeton-privileged-kid-1570383740/+Jessica
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Compassion and Trust: Lessons from His Holiness the Dalai Lama
After Marissa Minnick's disappointment at not getting a ticket for the Dalai Lama, she was invited to blog for the university and be at the event. Here she talks about the experience and what it meant to her.
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God's Grace and the Power of Words
Campus Ministry blogger, Marissa Minnick, recently wrote about her journey from disappointment to peace at not getting a ticket to the Dalai Lama. Last week she received some news, which she writes about here.
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Getting What I Need
Many students were disappointed when they couldn't get tickets for the Dalai Lama. Here Marissa Minnick grapples with her own response to it and what that means for her.
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Passive or Passion
First year student and Campus Ministry blogger Aidan O'Neill introduces a new verb and wonders what it means to actually live your faith.
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The Freshmen Foibles
First year blogger Aidan O'Neill explores what it's like to move from one faith community before college to a different one in college.
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Bearing Fruit in Winter
Sophomore Kendra Clark offers a gentle nudge to action in your faith life through the symbols of winter in this first blog entry of 2014.
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Sin, Guilt and Forgiveness
Why this post being 3 days late won't weigh on me anymore
We're always making mistakes. What do we do with ourselves if we keep making the same ones? How do we forgive the hardest person to forgive?
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The Toughest Job You'll Ever Love
An SCU alumna and Former Peace Corps Volunteer, Alexandra Angel is passionate about social justice, solidarity, and seeing the world. She loves immersing herself in new cultures and traditions. Here she shares a reflection on finishing her Peace Corps experience in Ukraine. She is currently working in France as a teacher, returning to a place she fell in love with as an undergrad. Read more at her blog "Notes of Wonder" (http://notesofwonder.wordpress.com/)
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We Wish You an Ironic Christmas
Aidan's back with a reflection on the irony of Christmas. Perhaps ironically, he wrote it during Advent. We hope you enjoy reading this and will let us know your thoughts on Aidan's and other blog entries contained herein.
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Admiring God's Creation
It's a gift to be able to acknowledge the beauty of God's Creation surrounding us every single day.
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Remembering JFK
4 SCU Faculty and Staff reflect on what JFK's life meant to them.
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Lessons from Abroad and from Within
Junior Kendra Clark examines the ways in which she learned about herself and about God through her study abroad experience, and what it is like readjusting to college life at Santa Clara. In addition, she offers insights on the Ignatian tradition of finding God in all things.
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On the Ignatian Retreat
"We were sharing a meal in total silence when I began to feel full--whole. As if all my scattered pieces had been collected and put back together." Read Irene's poem on the next page.
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Thanksgiving
Historical and Religious musings on a holiday of Gratitude
How can we be thankful in the world we live in? How can we think about Thanksgiving in its idealistic and realistic context? What does a Christian have to say about this?
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What are my roots?
A reflection on the challenges and graces of staying centered and motivated in a fast-paced college environment.
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Who's Calling Me?
Molly Walker, a sophomore and campus ministry eucharistic ministry intern, shares her answer to the question, "Who Is Calling Me?" from this week's Weekly Wednesday Worship.
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The experience of a lifetime
Casey Clarke shares his thoughts about what it was like to be in Brazil for Magis and World Youth Day in the Summer of 2013. Clicking will bring you to a Flickr gallery where you can read his captions explaining his experience.
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Threads of Life
Senior Marissa Minnick explores what it's like to be a senior facing the last moments of each activity in her Reaching Within blog entry.
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Where am I?
In this week's blog entry, Niki Amundsen talks about her struggle to maintain her faith after things didn't go as expected as she began at SCU.
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Nature and Water
What role does water play in your life? Take a walk with Mallory Miller as she brings you on a walk through the rainforest.
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Identity Crisis
First year student Aidan O'Neill talks about redefining himself in college in one of this week's entries in the Reaching Within blog. Aidan and two other students will be blogging for us regularly throughout the year.
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Opportunity
Katherine Sanderson, one of our new bloggers for Campus Ministry, talks about opportunity in this week's installment of the Reaching Within Blog.
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Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
SCU senior Luis Efren Aguilar shares why he has such affection for Our Lady of Guadalupe.
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Just What I Needed
Alex Nauman ('15) reflects on the experience of God's love he had on the Search retreat
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Faithful Citizenship
Laura Snowden, a SCU senior and Campus Ministry Intern for Christian Diversity, reflects on what it means to be a faithful citizen.
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Notice and Choose
What prevents you from experiencing the fullness of life? Julia Claire Landry, Director of Retreats, reflects on the readings for Sunday, September 30, imploring us to notice and choose.
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What Rosh Hashanah means to me
Akiba Lerner of SCU's Religious Studies faculty reflects on the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
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What I wanted to know as a freshman...
Current SCU students and alums say what they wish they'd known about spiritual life at SCU when they were first year students.
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Freshman Kate, Meet Senior Kate
Senior Kate Flannery describes her growth while at SCU through the lens of her experience on Campus Ministry's Ignatian 5-Day Retreat.
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Quiet in the Storm
Benson space provides quiet in midst of busyness
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Work Hard. Play hard. Pray hard.
At Santa Clara, we work hard and play hard, but we also pray hard. The time, effort, and love put into each and every liturgy is nothing short of amazing. It creates a true experience of welcome and calmness that's conducive to true and honest prayer. Everyone at Santa Clara that I talk to says that Mass helps them stabilize themselves in the midst of an otherwise hectic life. It allows them to truly have time for themselves and the Almighty, which allows them to have an experience here that is truly whole. -Gus Hardy '16, Hospitality Ministry Intern
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Breathe In, Breathe Out
Practicing mindfulness helps our players grow as students and as athletes.
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We remember Fr. Jim Reites, SJ
Santa Clara University President Michael Engh, S.J. sent the linked e-mail to the Santa Clara University campus community the evening of April 16, 2016, following the unexpected death of a Jesuit priest who has impacted the lives of so many people through education, faith, compassion and more.
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A former Jesuit Volunteer Reflects on Racial Injustice
Dominique Troy '14
"Remind us…of the black lives lost, and the hearts of those singing happy birthday to another soul gone."
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A Merciful Response from Queer Catholics to “The Joy of Love”
When "The Joy of Love" was released by the Vatican in June, now alumnus Glen Bradley '16 decided to write a response to the piece. We share this with the Pope's recent statement in mind that LGBTQ+ individuals "must not be discriminated against, that they must be respected and accompanied pastorally."
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Mass of the Holy Spirit 2016
Michael Engh, S.J.'s Homily
After offering a broad welcome, Fr. Engh explored three questions: Why do we gather here today? How do we wish to live? and What do we want this year to be? Read his insightful reflections here.
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A Drive to Create
Provost Dennis Jacobs and the Spirituality of Painting
You may have heard that SCU's Provost, Dr. Dennis Jacobs, is an avid painter. We were curious if he considered painting a spiritual practice and decided to sit down with him. What we learned was insightful and interesting.
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Julia Claire Landry
“Spirituality is the permission we give ourselves to get real -- real with ourselves, real with what's happening right now in the world and in our relationships, especially to get real with the relationship we have with the Divine.”
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Rethinking Mercy
Lulu Santana, Director of Campus Ministry, briefly reflects on what the topic of mercy means for us during some challenging times at SCU. This past July, a group of colleagues across campus offered an adapted form of Examen, an Ignatian approach to review one’s day and discern the invitations for future response and action, to reflect on the ongoing violence in our country and world. We will again offer this adapted Examen to the campus community on October 26, 4-5:30 p.m. in the California Mission Room. Our intention is to create a space to review and reflect on events of violence near and far, and to consider the invitations for personal and communal engagement. We look forward to the shared participation of students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
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Matt Smith
The Spirituality Spotlight this week is Associate Director of Campus Ministry, Matt Smith. When Matt was asked how he practices his spirituality, he responded saying, “Food (where it comes from, how it nourishes me, who was involved in making it), active lifestyle (biking, soccer, running, walking with my wife), minutes of mindfulness, prayer.” Read more about more about Matt’s spiritual journey on the next page.
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Sarah Lawley
Our Spirituality Spotlight this week is Spirituality Facilitator Sarah Lawley. When asked what she has learned about herself from practicing her spirituality, Sarah said that through yoga and "[a]s a 'recovered perfectionist,' I have learned to be much more relaxed with myself and with my life in general. I am able to 'go with the flow' now in a way that I never could before."
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Lulu Santana
The Spirituality Spotlight of the week is Lulu Santana, Director of Campus Ministry! When discussing her practice of her spirituality, Lulu says: "I can’t help but smile when, in the course of a day, God interrupts my plans and stirs my heart in ways I could not imagine."
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Laura Brekke
"If you have a practice that you hate, then you’re resistant to the relationship. But if you find a practice that brings you joy or peace, then you will be open to hear the whispering of God, or to see the ways God has been moving in your life."
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Alex Arnold
The Spirituality Spotlight of the week is Liturgy Intern, Alex Arnold. When asked what she has learned from practicing her spirituality, Alex said, "Everyone has an infinitely complex life and being aware of mine helps me be open to others."
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Meghan Daly
The Spirituality Spotlight of the week is CLC Leadership Formation Coordinator, Meghan Daly! In response to what she has learned through practicing her spirituality, Meghan says: "Sometimes you really do have to 'Let go and Let God.'"
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Carolina Tenecela
The Spirituality Spotlight of the week is CLC Spirituality Coordinator, Carolina Tenecela! In response to how she practices her spirituality, Carolina says: "Music provides me with time for personal reflection, which distracts my brain, mind and, in turn, reenergizes my soul and spirit."
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Lent and Passover 2017
An alignment of traditions
This year there is an alignment between the Roman and Orthodox calendars, which means that Lent, Holy Week, and Easter coincide for all traditions following those calendars. Additionally, Jewish Passover and Christian Holy Week happen at the same time. This gives us a special opportunity to have experiences across religious traditions. See the list of events below for details on a Passover Seder and Holy Week services.
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Taking Care of Yourself
What helps our team decompress and take care of ourselves
We're in that time of the year when the sun is not out as often, the school/workload has increased, and it becomes increasingly difficult to take care of anything but your most essential needs. Worry not! We have put our heads together to highlight some of our favorite ways to decompress. We think you'll find that they mirror conventional wisdom. So without further ado, how people in Campus Ministry decompress...
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Justin Ocampo
This week's Justin Ocampo, Spirituality Coordinator for CLC, is in the spotlight. In response to what he has learned through practicing his spirituality, Justin says, "I do realize that it is in this slow work of God that I can gain a clearer understanding of God's plan for me." If you would like to suggest someone to be highlighted, please contact us at campusministry@scu.edu.
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McKenzie Bright
This week's Spirituality Spotlight is on the Service and Justice Coordinator for CLC, McKenzie Bright. In response to how she practices her spirituality, McKenzie says, "Sharing a smile is such an easy way to brighten the day and brings people together." If you would like to suggest someone to be highlighted, please contact us at campusministry@scu.edu.
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Anna Calkins
This week's Spirituality Spotlight is on Eucharistic Ministry Liturgy Intern, Anna Calkins. In response to how she practices her spirituality, Anna says, "I have a gratitude journal I write in every night and it really connects me to what joys I have in my life." If you would like to suggest someone to be highlighted, please contact us at campusministry@scu.edu.
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Damon Rideaux
This week's Spirituality Spotlight is on Campus Ministry Photographer, Damon Rideaux. In response to what he has learned through his spiritual practices, Damon says, "I think [my spirituality] has also given me something important: perspective. It has made me realize that I am not the most important person in the world and that others may have things better or worse than I." If you would like to suggest someone to be highlighted, please contact us at campusministry@scu.edu.
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Nicholas Collura, nSJ
This week's Spirituality Spotlight is on Nicholas Collura, nSj, the Jesuit Novice in Campus Ministry. In response to how he believes spirituality connects us with something greater than ourselves, Nicholas says, "To have faith is to insist that the human spirit never give up on the dream of an infinite love." If you would like to suggest someone to be highlighted, please contact us at campusministry@scu.edu.
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Brigid Rigali
This week we're highlighting CLC Community Building Coordinator, Brigid Rigali. In response to how she practices her spirituality, Brigid says, "I try to learn about my own spirituality by witnessing the love in the hearts of my fellow Broncos." If you would like to suggest someone to be highlighted, please contact us at campusministry@scu.edu.
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John Michael Reyes
This week we're highlighting the Campus Minister for Sacramental Formation, John Michael Reyes. In response to how spiritual practices can connect us with something greater than ourselves, he says, "to practice spirituality allows you to learn about yourself in ways that no textbook or article can disclose." If you would like to suggest someone to be highlighted, please contact us at campusministry@scu.edu.
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Nicole Jewett
This week we're highlighting Nicole Jewett, the CLC Leadership Formation coordinator. She says she's learned that, "In times when I feel helpless to fix my own problems or to support others, I realize that it's not about me; it's about me stepping aside and letting God work through me." If you would like to suggest someone to be highlighted, please contact us at campusministry@scu.edu.
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Fr. Jack Treacy, SJ
This week's spotlight is on Alumni Relations Chaplain, Fr. Jack Treacy, S.J. Through practicing his spirituality, Fr. Jack recognizes a greater connection when he says, "I'm enriched by stories of faith of others, and am fortunate to be invited into those conversations frequently. Our SCU community offers so many witnesses of faith in action!" If you would like to suggest someone to be highlighted, please contact us at campusministry@scu.edu.
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Maleny Quiroz Hernández
This week's Spirituality Spotlight is on the Misas en Español intern, Maleny Quiroz Hernández. By practicing her spirituality, Maleny has learned that "[s]ometimes a conversation or even your simple presence can be enough to allow others to start seeing Christ in their lives." If you would like to suggest someone to be highlighted, please contact us at campusministry@scu.edu.
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Natalie Kennedy
The Spirituality Spotlight this week is Natalie Kennedy, a member of CLC and the Women's Soccer Team. Natalie finds spirituality to be "a safe haven that provides an escape from the pressures and stresses of everyday life." Read more inside.
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Yesi Magdaleno
Misas en Español Intern
The Spirituality Spotlight this week is Yesenia Magdaleno, Misas en Español Intern and convener of our department's hospitality committee. For Yesi, as for many, practicing her spirituality isn't always easy, but she explains how important it is for her to find ways to do it. Read more inside.
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A Positive Spin On Belief
Unity RLC's Imagine Interbelief Floor's Project for Good
In one corner of campus, the Unity RLC's Imagine Interbelief floor, a collaboration between Campus Ministry and the Office of Housing & Residence Life, along with the linked RSOC 9 class is trying to shift the conversation on religion by highlighting positive stories of people of belief.
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Illuminate
Christian Worship Night
This week we're switching to a program highlight because of the upcoming Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. "Illuminate is a gathering of the entire Christian community at Santa Clara. We are celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity by worshiping together as one united group. Students of all denominations and Christian backgrounds will come together to praise God."