University Ministry: All Are Welcome
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Welcome back, USF community! To our new students, new faculty, and new staff: welcome to the new academic year! We are excited to welcome the Class of 2026 and look forward to their contributions to our campus and community.
University Ministry welcomes all members of our community to engage with us this academic year. From our Sunday student liturgies to our retreats, immersions, social justice initiatives, and liturgical choir, there is a place for you here at University Ministry. You can be of any faith or no faith, and you will be welcomed here for all that you are, every identity, and wherever you are on your religious or spiritual journey. Join us as we continue to build a vibrant community in the Jesuit tradition.
We are here for you. Come and meet us in Toler 122 or reach out to your resident minister in the residence halls!
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| University Ministry Events
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Wednesday, Aug. 24 | 2 p.m. | University Ministry
Join University Chaplain Dónal Godfrey, S.J. for a walk through history in the Castro District on Wednesday, Aug. 24. Fr. Dónal wrote the book Gays and Grays on the history of the LGBTQIA+ community in the Castro based on his doctoral dissertation. Learn how this community has changed over the years and became the iconic queer neighborhood it is today.
We will meet as a group in front of University Ministry at 2 p.m., use public transit to get to and from the Castro District, and return to campus by 5:30 p.m. for an ice cream social.
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Sunday Night Student Liturgies
Sunday, Aug. 28 | 7 p.m. | Saint Ignatius Church
Join our weekly Liturgy and engage in prayer and deep reflection with other students! All are welcome. Meet us each Sunday for student liturgy.
Would you like to be a lector, acolyte, Eucharistic minister, altar server, greeter, or choir member for any of these liturgies? If interested, please contact Ana Karen Barragán.
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Meditation Mondays
Monday, Aug. 29 | 12:30–1:15 p.m. | Zoom
Join us for a guided meditation to start the week right. Guided meditation can help reduce stress, increase patience, focus on the present, and more! Open to all students, faculty, and staff!
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Pizza with the Jesuits!
Wednesday, Sept. 14 | 7–9 p.m. | Loyola House
Are you a graduate of a Jesuit or Catholic high school? The USF Jesuit community would like to extend its welcome! You are invited to a pizza party at Loyola House, the Jesuit Residence on Lone Mountain. Please contact University Ministry to RSVP.
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Kairos 35
Friday, Oct. 7 – Sunday, Oct. 9 | Mercy Center
This retreat weekend is a period of time that has been set aside as God's time. It is an opportunity to open ourselves more deeply to God's movement in our lives. Join us for this Ignatian retreat tradition in re-discovering your relationship with God, with others, and yourself. All are welcome with or without any religious affiliation.
To register and for more information, please email Richard Alvia.
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USF Liturgical Choir
Would you like to be part of a close-knit musical community? The USF liturgical choir provides vocal and instrumental accompaniment for Sunday night student liturgies, commencement liturgies, and special liturgies throughout the semester. If you're a singer or an instrumentalist and would like to join us or learn more, please contact Laura Diaz-Flaviani. Open to faculty, staff, and students.
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Gratia Church Joins as New Affiliated Ministry
Gratia Church has joined University Ministry as an affiliated ministry. Gratia Church is located two blocks away from campus at 1911 Hayes Street. It holds Sunday services at 10:40 a.m. and offers Bible studies throughout the week, Monday – Friday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., and also by appointment on any day you are available. Bible study lasts approximately one hour and is open to all who are interested in learning about God’s Word. Please email Julia or reach out on Instagram. God Bless!
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| | Breaking Bread and the Binary
Thursdays | 11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m. | University Ministry – Romero Room (Toler 122)
Starting Aug. 25, join us every Thursday as we explore the intersectionality between our unique spiritual traditions and our LGBTQIA+ identities. Stay tuned for more information on our upcoming Overnight Spectrum Retreat at Walker Creek Ranch, Sept. 30 - Oct. 2. You will be able to experience great conversations and meet new people!
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| | Faith Talks
Wednesdays | 7 p.m. | University Ministry – Romero Room (Toler 122)
Starting Aug. 31, come and join us for a night of fellowship where we talk about our faith and learn more about the Word of God. Everyone is welcome! For more information, contact Resident Minister Damilola Adesanya.
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| | Orthodox Christian Fellowship
Tuesday, Aug. 23 | 12 p.m. | University Ministry – Romero Room (Toler 122)
Orthodox Christian Fellowship at USF (OCF) is a student-led group dedicated to exploring the Orthodox Christian faith, fostering spiritual growth, and exposing our campus to the faith, cultures, and customs that are uniquely Orthodox. We are a small but dynamic group of students from many different backgrounds who share a common desire to learn more about the 2000-year tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church. We look for opportunities throughout the year to pray together, meet up with OCF chapters at other universities, serve our neighbors, eat, and create a rich community in Christ. All students, including non-Orthodox, are very welcome! Please drop by or email Kirill Sokolov, S.J. for more information.
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| | Faculty/Staff Book Club
Wednesday, Sept. 14 | 1-2 p.m. | University Ministry (Toler 122)
Join Fr. Donal Godfrey and Angélica Quiñónez EdD for a fun-filled and prayerful discussion of Learning To Pray by James Martin, S.J. Participants will engage in meaningful conversations, fellowship, and explore different methods of prayer. The book is written from a Catholic perspective but is accessible and inclusive of all. Book copies will be provided. Lunch arrangements will abide by campus safety measures. To sign up, please email Fr. Donal.
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Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
Faculty and staff are invited to participate in the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius over the academic year. The exercises (also known in this form as the 19th annotation) are a compilation of meditations through which people develop their relationship with God and the sacred. There are weekly meetings with a director. A prior interview with Fr. Donal Godfrey is required, along with a statement of intent. The deadline for applications is Sept.14. For more information, contact Fr. Donal.
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SF Hillel's Welcome Week Activities
SF Hillel is hosting events every day of Welcome Week both on campus and at our building! SF Hillel is a radically inclusive, welcoming, pluralistic Jewish community. We aim to create opportunities for cultivating connections, where you can find people who empower you to learn, laugh, and grow. Please contact Sarah with any questions.
SF Hillel at USF Bagel Club: Aug. 23 from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. on the lawn of Gleeson Library. Join us for bagels on the lawn! To find us, look out for the red checkered picnic blankets.
Open House and Ice Cream Social at SF Hillel: Aug. 24 from 3–6 p.m. at SF Hillel (33 Banbury Drive). Join us at our building to meet new friends and enjoy ice cream from Hometown Creamery!
SF Hillel at USF Caffeine and Color in the Undercaf: Aug. 25 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. in the Undercaf. Join Sarah in the Undercaf for a drink of your choice (on Hillel) and to unwind with coloring pages!
Pizza Party at SF Hillel: Aug. 25 from 4–7 p.m. at SF Hillel (33 Banbury Drive). Join us for a pizza and games at the building!
Welcome Shabbat at SF Hillel: August 26 from 6–8 p.m. at SF Hillel (33 Banbury Drive). Join us for our first Shabbat of the semester!
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InterVarsity is excited to welcome students to campus. On-campus rooms for events will be on Instagram or email Jackie Tisthammer.
Beach Bonfire
Aug. 27, 7–9 p.m. at Ocean Beach
New friends, s'mores, and games! Meet at 6:30 p.m. in Gleeson Plaza to catch the bus together.
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First Community Group Bible Discussions
Aug. 29 or Aug. 30, 7–8:15 p.m. (Location TBD)
Join us to discuss a Bible text in a fun, communal environment. All spiritual backgrounds are welcome!
First Large Group Meeting
Sept. 8, 7:30-8:30 p.m. (Location TBD)
Come learn more about InterVarsity! We'll have worship music and a chance to meet InterVarsity student leaders and members.
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