Faith and Worship
The student body at Xavier is representative of a diverse range of faith traditions and backgrounds. Part of our mission at the Dorothy Day Center for Faith and Justice (CFJ) is to help students deepen their spiritual lives as well as to engage with those of diverse faith and cultural perspectives around them. This deep engagement moves us beyond diversity into pluralism. Check out some of our program offerings below!
Catholic Community
- During the 2020-2021 school year, Sunday student mass will be livestreamed at 4:00pm on the CFJ youtube channel and can be viewed anytime afterwards.
- Distribution of the Eucharist will occur every Sunday between 5:00-5:15pm at various campus locations (TBD) and again between 9:00-9:15pm in front of Bellarmine Chapel.
- Weekday masses (Mon-Fri) will occur at 5pm in the Bellarmine Chapel (in-person and also available on the Bellarmine Chapel livestream page).
- In addition, mass will be held Wednesday at 9pm in the Bellarmine Chapel (in-person only, and preceded by the Sacrament of Reconciliation at 8pm in the Bellarmine Chapel Activity Room).
For more information regarding remote mass including schedule, worship aids, announcements, and safety protocol, please see the CFJ mass page.
10pm mass Planning Committee
This committee meets weekly to discuss the readings for each Sunday's Mass, plan and coordinate the various volunteer ministries associated with the liturgy, and to prepare for the various liturgical seasons throughout the year.
10pm mass Planning Committee Contact: Roberta Whitely
Volunteer Liturgical Ministry
If you are interested in helping with any of the liturgical ministries at either of the student masses, make sure you sign up after mass in the first couple of weeks of the fall semester to get on the calendar.
Volunteer Liturgical Ministry Contact: Roberta Whitely
Catholic Ministry Team
Catholic Ministry Team gives students an opportunity to explore their own Catholic Identity by discussing contemporary and established Church documents while entertaining questions that deal with appropriating Catholicism.
Catholic Ministry Team Contact: Colleen Ryan-Mayrand
Protestant Community
Common Ground
We aim to create a space on campus where students from a wide variety of Christian backgrounds can come together to worship, pray, engage Scripture and encounter God. During the 2020 fall semester, will be livestreaming at 8pm on the CFJ youtube channel.
Gospel Choir
Rooted in the African-American church experience, this is a place to explore that tradition, grow in your faith, and be nurtured in community. The choir leads worship at Common Ground monthly, sings in the city, and hosts their own concerts.
Muslim Community
Muslim Student Association
We seek to fulfill the needs of the Muslim students on campus and to engage the broader community in a diverse set of cultures. We aim to provide a safe, non-judgmental environment for students who wish to express their faith, regardless of religion identification, and who are willing to explore and learn more about Muslims and our faith.
Muslim Student Association Contact: Tala Ali
Jumma
Join us every Friday at 2 pm in the Interfaith Chapel in Husman Hall. Muslims on our campus come from not just around the region but around the world. Men and women are both welcome and the Interfaith chapel has a place to make wudu. Khutbas will be offered by professors, community members, alumni, and student leaders, helping us to connect our faith and our life.
Jewish Community
Help us build our Jewish community on campus and share your ideas about programming for Jewish Students. Connect with the Jewish community of Cincinnati while you are here. Get involved with Tikkun Olam through social action and interfaith dialogue.
Other Faith Communities
Xavier attracts students of more than 15 faith traditions, including most Christian denominations as well as those from Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and Shinto faiths. Religious pluralism is a reality at Xavier. In line with the Ignatian value of cura personalis, care of the whole person, the Dorothy Day Center for Faith and Justice is committed to helping each and every student deepen their spiritual life. If you’d like more information about finding a faith community in Cincinnati,
Companion Groups
Rooted in the Jesuit tradition of companionship, Companion Groups are weekly faith sharing groups that provide students with the opportunities to reflect on their lives, grow in faith, and build community. Groups are facilitated by sophomore, junior, and senior student leaders.
Companion Groups Contact: Colleen Ryan Mayrand
Approach Retreat
Approach is Xavier's introductory retreat which is driven by the narratives of the students. Rooted in Christianity, the retreat calls students to a greater awareness of God in the world around them and serves as an introduction to the importance of reflection in one's everyday "approach" to life.
Retreat Contact: Colleen Ryan Mayrand
Encounter Retreat
Encounter is a next step in deepening students' spiritual lives. This retreat is rooted in Ignatian Spirituality and invites students to intentionally explore and develop a personal relationship with God through individual reflection, small group sharing, and communal prayer.
Encounter Retreat Contact: Colleen Ryan Mayrand
Dorothy Day Immersion
Dorothy Day Immersions (DDI) provide students short-term opportunities to live, work, and reflect at the margins. Each experience challenges participants to understand their role in seeking justice in the world, build authentic community amidst difference, and engage their unique spirituality. Each group, no matter where they travel, examines racial justice, economic disparity, and faiths that do justice.
Dorothy Day Immersion Contact: Shannon Hughes
Faith Based Clubs
For more information about these clubs and how to get involved, please visit their EngageXU page.
Life After Sunday
Coalition for Christian Outreach
Athletes in Action