A group of students gathered in the Prep ’ s Campus Ministry Office for a Ministry Leadership Meeting .
The lessons and guidance that Dr . Smith gives … contribute to the growth of a man for others who will lead by listening and displaying love in his service .” – Aakaash Raja ’ 24
LITURGY AND MINISTRY
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HE PREP IS ONE OF THE FEW remaining schools that hold weekly Mass , with access to Mass at the University Church . Schoolwide Masses , which bring the entire community together , occur on select days throughout the school year . Students can choose to participate as lectors , ushers , and altar servers . Notably , the Liturgical Choir is formed primarily of Prep students .
All students , regardless of their unique faith background , are required to take Religious Studies classes for four years . The themes of these classes during the first three years include Scripture , Christology , sacraments , and morality . During senior year , students explore aspects of Christian vocations and look at the journey of a life in faith through the lens of one of seven offered concentrations of their choosing : Christian Quest for Social Justice , Philosophy of Religion , Psychology Through the Eyes of Faith , Men & Masculinity , Seminar Honors , Theology of Sport , and World Religions .
However , it doesn ’ t end there . Each cycle , 40 sophomores , 60 juniors , and 80 seniors volunteer to be a part of the school ’ s Ministry Leadership Team . The goal of this opportunity is to position students to be observant of where God is in their lives each week . The team ’ s meetings are also used to prepare students who help to lead the Prep ’ s retreat programs .
“ One thing I ’ m super grateful for at Fordham Prep is that we are allowed to schedule Ministry Leadership during the day as part of the students ’ schedules . That time is used in a variety of ways , including retreat preparation , prayer , and spiritual growth formation ,” said Michael Kravatz P ’ 23 , Director of Campus Ministry .
Students give up free periods or lunchtime to participate in Ministry Leadership , which may seem like a strange concept for some . “ These are investments in our community . They help to strengthen the bonds among us and with God , and isn ’ t that the whole meaning of being together ?” Smith wondered .
Ministry and liturgy at Fordham Prep have a way of resonating with students of all religions . “ In the Gospels , there is a constant emphasis on the love we need to have for God and our neighbor ,” said Daniel Rentel ’ 23 , a student who considers himself to be of Orthodox faith . “ That is very much common ground between the two Churches . The story of the Good Samaritan is emblematic of this to me — it ’ s read in both Churches . It ’ s important to recognize that the Samaritans were seen as ‘ other ’ to the original listeners , as they would have practiced and held different ideals to the audience that Jesus preached to . However , this specific Samaritan gives assistance to the man lying on the side of the road . This , to me , represents the basic message of Dr . Smith ’ s Ministry class — that the expectation for all of God ’ s people is to love and care for each other , despite any differences we may have in our faith .”
Aakaash Raja ’ 24 , another student at the Prep who does not identify as Catholic , stated , “ The lessons and guidance that Dr . Smith gives in and out of the classroom contribute to the growth of a man for others who will lead by listening and displaying love in his service . These concepts transcend someone ’ s faith as they touch on the core of what it means to be human and to live in harmony with your brothers and sisters around the world .” continued …
SPRING 2022 VOLUME 42 , ISSUE 2
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