Mid-October already? It seems like just yesterday, we were welcoming back our community to the new semester. Now, we welcome the crispness of fall coupled, sometimes, with San Francisco’s autumn heat. We also welcome the cycle of falling leaves giving way to new beginnings as the nearness of the winter holidays greets us. These coming months will soon bring a time of reflection and gratitude. Yes, there will be papers, quizzes, and finals, but there will also be plenty of opportunities to continue pursuing self-growth, self-care, and connection.

Our full-time and part-time UM staff and resident ministers have been hard at work these past few months. Our interfaith team launched its Interfaith Visiting Series at Third Baptist Church in San Francisco where students engaged with members of the community and Rev. Amos Brown. The series continued with a trip to the Baha’i Center of San Francisco.

Our retreats team was hard at work putting together Kairos 35, our signature retreat which took place at Mercy Center in Burlingame. Students experienced a time of renewal, reflection, prayer, and fellowship. The annual Spectrum Retreat also took place this year led by student leaders from Qmmunity and USF staff members.

Resident ministers continue to support students and staff in the residence halls. Through programs and community nights, our resident ministers are a consistent, welcomed, and critical presence for our students. They are the heartbeat of our office and a reflection of our mission!

On Oct. 4, we celebrated the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of our city and university, with a Blessing of the Animals. Community members were invited to bring their pets for a blessing — even our “resident minisdog” Marshmallow received her blessing! Our thanks to our own Fr. Dónal for ministering to our community’s animal friends.

In the spirit of Saint Francis, we continue to hold in our hearts and prayers all those affected by recent natural disasters domestically and internationally.