University Ministry: Care for Our Home
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"Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs.” - St. Francis, quoted by Pope Francis in Laudato Si'.
Recently, University Ministry commissioned a second mural that now graces the walls of the office lobby. Created by San Francisco-based artist Stefan Salinas, the piece is inspired by Laudato Si': On Care For Our Common Home, the second encyclical by Pope Francis. The mural is a colorful representation of the message of Laudato Si' and honors the natural beauty of our city and state. Within the image, viewers will find St. Ignatius Church, Temple Emanu-El, and a mosque–reminders that the encyclical, like the responsibility of caring for our common home, is for everyone.
The mural also honors our origins as a university and as a city. On the lower left, St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology and of our city and namesake of our university, lovingly embraces the world. On the lower right, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first canonized Native American saint and patroness of the environment and ecology, holds up and embraces the world along with St. Francis. Both look at us as a reminder to care for our home–there is still time.
There is much to explore in this new mural and we hope you'll take some time to stop by and see it! We are grateful for the generous contribution of the parents of Fr. Dónal Godfrey, S.J who made this second mural possible.
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| University Ministry Events
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Thursday, Oct. 6 | 11 a.m. | Baha'i Center of San Francisco
Brand new! Please join us for our Interfaith Visiting Series, a series of mini field trips to different places of worship around San Francisco. We will take up to ten USF students, faculty, and staff members to attend worship services, speak with faith leaders, and eat food around the San Francisco area. Here is our schedule:
Thursday, Oct. 6 at 11 a.m.: Baha'i Center of San Francisco
Sunday, Nov. 20 at 10 a.m.: Buddhist Church of San Francisco
All faith and non-faith backgrounds are welcome. Space is limited, please RSVP.
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Monday, Oct. 10 | 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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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.
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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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Coffee Chat with Arrupe Immersions
Friday, Sept. 30 | 9 a.m.–1 p.m. | University Ministry – Romero Room (Toler 122)
Join us one last time to learn more about immersions!
This is your last chance to apply before applications close on Sept. 30. Grab a pastry and coffee with us while we discuss the upcoming immersions, application process, and the immersions experience. This is your last chance to apply! We invite you to complete the interest form prior to the event to better understand your immersion preferences.
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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, and 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!
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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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Sign up before applications close on Sept. 30! Don’t miss the opportunity to experience Arrupe immersions.
Immersions are a unique opportunity for Dons to expand their worldview, engage their community through empathy, and allow for deep reflection and introspections, all of which will undoubtedly invite participants to consider their place in the world. Apply today!
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IAJU Assembly 2022: Discerning The Future of Jesuit Higher Education
We invite you to watch the summary video of the International Association of Jesuit Universities Assembly 2022 held from Aug. 3–6, 2022. Nearly 400 presidents, faculty, and administrators from Jesuit institutions and organizations across the world, including the University of San Francisco, attended this event.
The event focused on the theme "Discerning the Future of Jesuit Higher Education." Catch our Resident Minister Ana Karen Barragán in the video!
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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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InterVarsity Large Group
Thursday, Oct. 6 | 7:30–8:30 p.m. | McLaren 251
What difference does Jesus make in your college life?
Join us for a monthly worship gathering that includes live music and snacks! In October, we will hear from InterVarsity students about this question. This space is a great way to de-stress and find encouragement in the midst of the busy semester. Everyone is welcome!
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InterVarsity Weekly Community Groups
Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays | Various Locations
Looking for a supportive community? Have questions about the Bible? Check out a community group! Each week, we have an open discussion on a small passage from the Bible, along with time to hang out and great snacks! Monday and Tuesday night groups look at Jesus' life through the gospel of Luke and Thursday's group talks about Paul's letter to the Philippians.
Mondays | 7–8:15 p.m. | University Center (UC) 415
Tuesdays | 7–8:15 p.m. | KA 499
Thursdays |11:40 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | UC 415
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Jews and Indians on Turtle Island: Between Colonialism and Justice
Monday, Oct. 10 | 6:30–8 p.m. | Lone Mountain, Outdoor Sukkah (adjacent to LM Main/Pacific Wing Dorms)
In his award-winning book, The Jews’ Indian: Colonialism, Pluralism, and Belonging in America (2019), scholar David S. Koffman investigates the history of relations between American Jews and American Indians, both in the realm of cultural imagination and face-to-face encounters. The exchanges between these groups were numerous and diverse, at times harmonious, other times discordant. Drawing from his extensive and original archival research, in this talk Koffman will discuss this largely unknown piece of modern Jewish history within the context of both the longer, more complex entanglements between settlers and Indigenous Peoples in American history and contemporary Jewish efforts to grapple with the legacies of colonialism and advance the cause of justice on Turtle Island. Immediately following Koffman’s talk, USF Politics Professor and American Indian Studies scholar Kouslaa Kessler-Mata will moderate a Q&A discussion.
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Friday, Oct. 28 – Sunday, Oct. 30 | Camp MayMac in Felton, CA
Join InterVarsity students from around the Bay Area for a weekend retreat! We will engage interactive sessions around the role of faith in college, including space for personal reflection. Bring a costume for Friday night's dance party if you'd like! Our time will be full, but will also include space for introverting or homework. For questions or scholarships, contact Jackie Tisthammer.
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