Campus Ministry

As students embark on their high school journey, they strive to achieve academic success and grow in their faith and character. This is where the Campus Ministry program at St. Thomas Aquinas High School comes into play.

The Campus Ministry program offers a variety of opportunities and activities to encourage and foster the spirituality, service, and community building of all St. Thomas Aquinas High School community members. These opportunities include retreats, service projects, liturgical celebrations, and faith-based discussions.

One of the key components of the Campus Ministry program is the retreats. These retreats provide students with time
to reflect on their faith and relationships with God, others, and themselves. They are an opportunity to step away from the distractions of daily life and focus on what truly matters. Through activities, prayer, and reflection, students are able to deepen their spiritual lives and gain a better understanding of their faith.

In addition to retreats, the Campus Ministry program also provides opportunities for service and community building. Service projects allow students to put their faith into action by serving others in their local community and beyond. This benefits those in need and helps students grow in their faith and develop a sense of compassion for others.

The liturgical celebrations, such as Mass and Adoration, provide students the chance to participate in the sacraments and deepen their relationship with God. Through these celebrations, students are able to experience the beauty and majesty of their faith in a powerful and meaningful way.

Finally, faith-based discussions provide a space for students to share their thoughts and ideas on different aspects of their faith. These discussions allow students to learn from one another and grow in their understanding of their faith, while also foster while f community within the St. Thomas Aquinas High School community.

The Campus Ministry program at St. Thomas Aquinas High School and Middle School offers a wealth of opportunities for students to grow in their faith, serve others, and build community. Through its offerings, students are able to develop a strong foundation in their faith that will serve them well throughout their lives.

St. Thomas Aquinas High School encourages students to reach beyond themselves and render service to our brothers and sisters throughout the community and world. Service is a component of evangelization. As a Christian, living in a secular world, this is a critical facet of character. We cannot emphasize the Christian value of service enough.

Serving others is an integral part of our mission and a requirement for graduation. All students must participate in service work each year they attend the school and receive a quarter (.25) credit for their successful completion. The service component is mandatory and students are expected to meet the following hour requirements based on their grade level: Freshmen - 10 hours, Sophomores - 15 hours, Juniors - 20 hours, and Seniors - 30 hours. The completed service hours information must be submitted to the Campus Ministry by the beginning of May each year.

Kairos is a Greek word meaning “God-given or sacred time”. It is a time filled with meaning in which something sacred can happen. Prayer and celebration of the sacraments are an essential part of the program, as well as, the participants’ involvement in discussions and other exercises…and of course, a good dose of fun. This retreat will provide students with a special time to look deeply at the person he or she is and their relationship with the Lord, with other people, and with family.

For decades this program has been transformative for dozens of Catholic school communities throughout the United States and we are privileged to be the first school in the Diocese of Youngstown to offer it.

Senior class students have two opportunities to attend the retreat. The fall and spring retreats are held at Loyola of the lakes, in Clinton, Ohio. The fall Kairos is for seniors only. In order to become a member of the team during their upcoming Senior year, Junior class students are given the opportunity to share the spring retreat. Junior students, invited in the spring before their senior year, will be recommended by peers, faculty, administration and Kairos alumni only. Kairos student team leaders will commit to attending planning meetings and the entire retreat weekend.