Student Life

Our service programs of the past placed a great deal of emphasis on the counting of hours in service to others. As a Holy Cross community, we need to inspire each other to ask the question "how can we help" instead of "how many hours can I get." The Competence to See and Courage to Act Service Program is designed around six key components; Engagement and Resilience, Creativity, Documentation, and Reflection. Each of these components can be found in detail on the Service Ministry Google Classroom Page. Teacher guidance, progress, and reflection will all be an important part of our teacher advisory program throughout the academic year. This program has been established to engage the student in intellectual curiosity, civis engagement, compassionate service, and thoughtul reflection. 

Freshmen students will complete their service projects within their Teacher Advisory Class. TA Teachers and Senior Peer Counselors will guide the TA group to design their projects in September, and carry out their service projects throughout the school year.

Sophomore and Junior students will complete their service requirements individually. Students may also work collaboratively in small groups if they choose to. Students may choose to begin their service projects during the summer months or begin them at the onset of the new school year. Each step will have an assigned due date throughout the first semester. Steps 1-3 will be due during Quarter 1, Steps 4-6 will be due during Quarter 2. All service requirements will be due by the end of the first semester.

Senior service will be completed through the Social Studies Department. This will include a service requirement of volunteer work for a political campaign. The candidate will be of the student’s choice. Students will complete a Faithful Citizenship Project connecting the political campaign to the Church’s teachings. As a Holy Cross community, we are called to inspire each other to ask the tough questions and more importantly take action.

Through the Peer Counseling Program, selected seniors demonstrate leadership through service. They act as mentors to members of the freshman class as well as role models and guides to students of all levels. In both classroom discovery and interactions with other students, the Program seeks to form “servant-leaders”, deepening the bonds among us.

This two semester course prepares its participants in a year- long experience of “Servant Leadership”. The course begins with a required four-day summer retreat/workshop and training. The course stresses training in leadership, counseling, and group skills, all of which are presented as a response to the Gospel, the teaching of the Church, and the mission of the Congregation of Holy Cross. These skills are used in leading small groups, retreats, workshops, and directed service to their peers. The course seeks to take students interested in growth and equip them for lifestyles of leadership through service. 

• School Prayer-Student lead prayer daily with the entire school daily. There is a prayer service in the St. Br. Andre Chapel each morning before our school day begins. The intentions of the book of intentions are remembered in the prayers as well as all the intentions of the ND community. Classes can organize prayer services for their specific classes and this is done several times throughout the year. The Chapel is opened throughout the day for private prayer and reflection and is a sacred space for students to build their personal relationship with God and increase their own individual spirituality.

• The St. Br. Andre committee is a committee of students that helps organize prayer and liturgies at Notre Dame.  The committee meets regularly and advises and organizes all aspects of spiritual life for our students and community.

• School liturgies are on all Roman Catholic Holy Days of Obligation and other important feasts of the Congregation of Holy Cross.  The entire school participates in the liturgies and they involve students in all parts of the mass.

• Prayer Services for Advent, Lent, and other Holidays are also organized for the entire school by Campus Ministry and the St. Br. Andre Committee.

• The Sacrament of Reconciliation is Celebrated in the School during Lent with a Reconciliation Service and several local priests that celebrate the sacrament with our students.

Embracing religious diversity on campus means accommodating the spiritual needs of all of our students. 

Our Interfaith space  brings together religiously diverse students and values the spiritual practices of our student population. The space can create an opportunity for students who do not identify with a particular tradition to find opportunities to gather and reflect. Opportunities for dialogue with Catholic priests and community religious leaders not of the Catholic tradition are available.

Before calling them to leave all things behind and follow Him, Jesus invited His disciples to “come and see.” He knew that if His disciples were going to be able to make this leap of faith, they needed to separate themselves from their daily routines. Only then could they come to know Him more and experience the life and mission to which He was calling them.

The words "Spes Unica" are borrowed from the motto of the Holy Cross Brothers who sponsor Notre Dame High School. The full motto is "Ave Crux, Spes Unica!" or "Hail the Cross, our Only Hope!" Thus, the retreat takes its direction from this motto.

The Spes Unica retreat offers all students the opportunity to step out of their daily routines in order to spend focused time in prayer and reflection with Our Lord. This weekend long retreat is offer twice yearly, Fall and Spring.  The retreat allows each student to experience the ND family and prayer in Holy Cross. Students  will also learn more about the Holy Cross mission and charism entrusted to them.

We invite members of the Notre Dame Community to submit your prayer intentions to the Campus Ministry Office.