There are many opportunities on Loyola’s Jesuit campus for Christians to get involved in the religious activities of the community. Christian service projects, lectures, and religious services are just a few of many events on campus.
Mirya Holman, a senior political science and history double major, has been chairperson of the LUCAP project Children Are Reason Enough for three years.
She said that, although she is a non-Catholic, she has always felt comfortable in the service organization.
“Even though I am a non-Catholic in LUCAP, I have never felt pressured or excluded,” she said. “This is an organization all students are invited to join and many professors recommend their students participate in it.”
Holman outlined the 11 projects students can participate in every week.
CARE goes on selected Saturdays. Project Esperanza goes out on Monday afternoons to tutor Hispanic children.
The Moratorium Campaign, which fights to reform the death penalty, meets Monday nights.
On Tuesday and Thursday mornings students who would like to help adults learn to read can join the University Literary Outreach Program at St. John the Baptist to tutor.
On Saturdays, students are encouraged to attend.
Habitat for Humanity, through which Loyola students are building their first house.
On selected Saturday mornings students interested in helping the elderly can join Students Moving Into the Lives of the Elderly.
On Sunday, Hunger Relief offers students an opportunity to interact with homeless people.
Many moral and ethical issues come up when working in various service areas, so LUCAP has a Special Affairs Chairperson to organize speakers, debates, and forums.
The department also makes sure that there are plenty of places and times for people of different religious backgrounds to worship in a group setting.
Christian services are available for students on campus. Sunday’s 9 p.m. mass in Ignatius Chapel is always full.
There are daily Eucharists and weekly Hour of Power worships. University Ministry also offers a Spanish mass on Thursday nights, as well as a Spanish retreat.
There are also many retreats sponsored by University Ministry, like the SOA, Ignatian, and Awakening retreats.
Joe David, a senior communications and philosophy major, is a Compass retreat member and an Awakening retreat member.
He said that he enjoys the Christian events on campus because they fortify his commitment to social justice and because he sees them as opportunities to practice the ideals the University promotes.
