University Ministry: Be Involved
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The fall semester is an exciting time for colleges and universities around the country. We welcome new faces to the community: students, faculty, and staff members. We are met with new and ongoing challenges in our world — the reality of an ongoing drought and climate change, the continued war in Ukraine, local struggles domestically with racism, economic injustice, and the reality of a world forever changed by an ongoing pandemic. Although we are reminded that we have a long way to go to heal the world’s injustices, we are hopeful that through our willing minds and hearts we can answer the call each day to “change the world from here.”
In welcoming the Class of 2026, University Ministry Director Angélica Quiñónez EdD challenged students to choose between being spectators to the world’s greatest needs or becoming prophets of action. Resident Minister Ana Karen Barragán challenged this community, at convocation, even further saying: “I invite our entire community, the leadership team, trustees, professors, staff, students, alumni, and service area colleagues al encuentro con el otro, to encounter each other. I invite us to feel our joys deeply, but also to reflect and act concretely on our failings, inconsistencies, and the historical debt we have with our own community and the society that is outside our physical limits. Let us be willing to come down from this mountain of privilege and meet with that humanity that is agonizing for justice.” We invite you to read the entirety of Ana Karen’s invocation, which calls us to reflection and action in a profound way.
We are also excited to share with you what University Ministry has been working on over the past few weeks. We were excited to hold three major welcome events. We welcomed our new students at the Frosh Welcome and Transfer Welcome masses. We also held four first-year retreats in the span of two days serving close to 1,600 incoming students. Our resident ministers were also hard at work staffing our major events while also helping students move in and holding welcome events in their residence halls. Fr. Donal Godfrey, S.J. also led an excursion to the Castro District to learn about the history of the district and the work of Most Holy Redeemer parish — the first of many UM-led adventures! We are looking forward to all the different ways that we will continue to serve our community this academic year!
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| University Ministry Events
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Mass of the Holy Spirit
Thursday, Sept. 8 | 12 p.m. | Saint Ignatius Church
The Mass of the Holy Spirit is a Jesuit tradition dating back to the sixteenth century. Celebrated each year at Jesuit schools around the world, it is an opportunity for our USF community to come together to pray for the guidance and wisdom of God's Spirit as we pursue our academics and strive toward meeting our greater mission together.
If you would like to serve as an acolyte, lector, or liturgical choir member, please email Ana Karen Barragan.
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Sunday Night Student Liturgies
Sundays | 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
Mondays | 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 other 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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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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THANK YOUUniversity Ministry wishes to thank all the volunteers that assisted with our First-Year Retreat on Aug.15-16. We are grateful for the amazing support from students, staff, and faculty members, including volunteers from GO Team, Residence Life, Student Life, Student Engagement, School of Nursing and Health Professions, Office of the Dean of Students, Cultural Centers, Student Disability Services, Koret Health and Recreation Center, Information Technology Services, Office of the Registrar, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Office of Development, and the Joan and Ralph Lane Center for Catholic Social Thought and the Ignatian Tradition.
And, of course, a heartfelt THANK YOU to our resident ministers and UM staff!
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Tuesdays and Thursdays | 4:15–6 p.m. | Zoom
University Ministry is supporting farmworker families in Half Moon Bay, California by providing tutoring services through ALAS (Ayudando A Latinos A Soñar) which works towards empowering the Latino coastal community by helping children and their families feel proud of their identity, culture, and amplifying their voices.
Our volunteers meet virtually with students twice a week to help with assignments and homework and provide overall mentorship. We are looking for tutors to assist in elementary-middle school reading, writing, math, Spanish, or who have experience teaching English as a second language. Please contact Resident Minister Joel Ojeda Ramirez for more information.
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Orthodox Christian Fellowship
Tuesdays| 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 neighbor, eat, and create a rich community in Christ. All students, including non-Orthodox, are very welcome!
We are organizing a mini-golf social outing on Friday, Sept. 2. Please drop by or email our spiritual adviser Fr. Kirill Sokolov or student leader Jackson Haney for more information. We look forward to meeting you!.
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| | Faith Talks
Wednesdays | 7 p.m. | University Ministry – Romero Room (Toler 122)
Each Wednesday beginning Sept. 7, 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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| | Breaking Bread and the Binary
Thursdays | 11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m. | University Ministry – Romero Room (Toler 122)
Join us every Thursday as we explore the intersectionality between our unique spiritual traditions and our LGBTQIA+ identities.
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Thursday, Sept. 8 | 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | University Ministry Undercaf
Join Sarah in the Undercaf for a drink of your choice (on Hillel) and to unwind with coloring pages! 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. RSVP in advance. Please contact Sarah at (916) 500-9282 or sarah@sfhillel.org with any questions.
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Friday, Sept. 30 – Saturday, Oct. 1
Spend a weekend with your favorite people from Qmmunity at our Overnight Spectrum Retreat at Walker Creek Ranch. There will be guest speakers, fun activities, nature time, free transportation, and more! Registration will open soon; to be notified when regsitration becomes available, please complete this form.
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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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Community Groups are a place to ask questions about Jesus, grow spiritually, and form deep friendships What do we do each week? We have fun, discuss a short portion of the Bible, and eat. We meet weekly on:
Mondays and Tuesdays, 7–8:15 p.m.
Join us to discuss what the Gospel of Luke says about the Kingdom of God! Snacks are provided. Location TBD soon! Contact Jackie Tisthammer for information.
Thursdays, 11:40 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in UC 415
Join us to discuss the letter to the Philippians. Bring lunch if you like!
Land's End Hike
Saturday, Sept. 3, 10 a.m. (meet at 9:30 a.m. in front of the library to drive together)
Join us for a beautiful hike at an iconic San Francisco spot. Bring your own lunch and water! Snacks provided.
First Large Group Meeting
Thursday, Sept. 8, 7:30–8:30 p.m. in the Berman Room, Fromm Hall
Our large group meeting is a space to connect with God and other students through music, hearing others' stories, and prayer. This month you'll get to meet student leaders, hear more about the club, and hopefully walk away refreshed!
Golden Gate Park Picnic
Saturday, Sept. 10, 1 p.m. at the Conservatory of Flowers (Meet at 12:15 p.m. in front of the library to walk together) An annual InterVarsity tradition! Food is provided, please RSVP.
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Wednesdays | 12 p.m. | Zoom
Join Erin Brigham and Fr. Donal Godfrey, S.J. for facilitated conversations on Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical on the care for our common home. Laudato Si' has inspired action for environmental justice and sustainability around the world and right here at USF. Weekly Zoom meetings will be held at noon in September (9/13, 9/20, 9/27). Register through this form for the reading group.
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| | Faculty/Staff Book Club
Wednesday, Sept. 14 | 1–2 p.m. | University Ministry (Toler 122)
Join Fr. Donal Godfrey, S.J. 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, S.J. 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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Integral Ecology Retreat on the Farm
Tuesday, Oct. 4 | Star Route Farms
Erin Brigham and Fr. Donal Godfrey, S.J. will lead a Laudato Si'-inspired retreat at Star Route Farms on Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. This retreat offers faculty and staff an opportunity to connect with each other and the beauty of nature magnified at the farm. Space is limited to 12 and priority will be given to those who have not previously attended the retreat. Email Fr. Donal to sign up.
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Leap of FaithA group of ten students visited Bilbao, Spain as part of the latest summer immersion, Leap Of Faith. During this journey, students were able to deepen their spirituality, immerse themselves in the culture, and visit historical sites. They had the opportunity to meet with students from other Jesuit universities. To join future immersions, please reach out to Kique Bazán.
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We are looking for students interested in tutoring elementary, middle, and high school students at schools within San Francisco's Mission District. Transportation will be provided to and from site locations. This is a great opportunity to share your skill sets. Afternoon shifts are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information, reach out to jcheng15@dons.usfca.edu.
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Religious Liberty and LGBTQ+ Rights
Tuesday, Sept. 13 | 6:30–8 p.m. | Xavier Auditorium, Fromm Hall
The seventh annual Swig Program in Jewish Studies and Social Justice Human Rights lecture will be delivered by Dr. Chai Feldblum, a renowned civil rights advocate and scholar who specializes in issues regarding LGBTQI+ individuals, people with disabilities, and women.
For many people, there is no conflict between the exercise of their religious liberty and their support of LGBTQI+ rights. But for some — especially those who believe complying with LGBTQI+ civil rights laws infringes on their exercise of religion — this is a real conflict. In this talk, Feldblum, a former commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and one of the authors of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, will discuss ethical reasons for acknowledging this tension, offering ideas for reconciling religious liberty and LGBTQI+ rights in a pluralistic society.
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Thursday, Sept. 29 | 5:30–7:30 p.m. | Xavier Auditorium, Fromm Hall
Join us for the Inaugural Latinx Heritage Lecture on Religion and Public Life. USF welcomes Miguel H. Díaz, the John Courtney Murray, S.J. University Chair in Public Service at Loyola University Chicago, and retired U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See (2009-2012), to discuss his new book advancing a bold sexual theology for the Catholic Church. Queer God de Amor (Fordham University Press, 2022) disrupts standard Trinitarian Theology by way of an unexpected source — the late-medieval Spanish mystic San Juan de la Cruz (St. John of the Cross, 1542-1591). The event will be in person with an option to join via Zoom. Copies of Queer God de Amor will be available for purchase.
This event is sponsored by the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, The Joan & Ralph Lane Center for Catholic Social Thought and the Ignatian Tradition, University Ministry, Latin@-Chican@ Studies, and Gender and Sexualities Studies.
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ADVANCE Study in the Bay Area
Three of the nation’s largest blood centers — Vitalant, OneBlood, and the American Red Cross — are conducting a pilot study funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that could lead to a significant change to blood donor eligibility for men who have sex with men.
The ADVANCE Study is investigating new approaches for selecting gay and bisexual men to be blood donors. They are recruiting gay and bisexual men, ages 18-39, in the Bay Area to participate in the study. This study could lead to a significant change in blood donor eligibility rules.
There are three enrollment sites in the Bay Area — San Francisco, Oakland, and Palo Alto. Potential participants can book an appointment online.
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