Peer Ministry Retreat

Jesuit’s Peer Ministers hosted a special retreat in preparation for the 2023-24 school year this week at the Bethany Center. Led by the Campus Ministry Department, the students gained first-hand experience in learning how to be leaders among their fellow students this school year.

The two-day retreat featured small-group sessions, prayer groups, team-bonding activities, and an evening Mass led by school president Fr. Richard C. Hermes, S.J.

“Many of our peer ministers are upperclassmen who have been involved in the Peer Ministry Club for two or three years now,” said Jimmy Mitchell, Jesuit’s Director of Campus Ministry. “It has been tremendously rewarding to see them step up into major leadership roles and take on the mantle of leading retreats, giving Convocations, and inspiring their brothers at Jesuit in the faith.”

Mitchell, Thomas Killackey, and Mr. Peter Bell, S.J. of the Campus Ministry Department, along with Jesuit teacher Angela Hamrick and Mission Corps members Brock Hepworth, Joseph Madigan, and Paul Reddy, emphasized this year’s theme, “Ite Inflammate Omnia,” to the peer ministers.

“‘Ite Inflammate Omnia’ are the same words found in the back of the Chapel of the Holy Cross,” Mitchell said. “They were spoken by St. Ignatius to St. Francis Xavier just before Xavier’s missionary journeys to India in 1541, and they mean, ‘Go, set the world on fire.’

“After this retreat, I know all our peer ministers are beginning a new school year with those words ringing in their hearts, aware of their great call to be spiritual leaders on campus and to continue the great work of Ignatius, Xavier, and all the great Jesuit saints who have gone before us.”

The peer ministers are looking forward to bringing what they learned on the retreat back to campus for the new school year.

“I’ve learned that being with other guys from Jesuit – guys who truly feel like family – brings about great things,” said James Slack ’24. “As a peer minister, I am working with dozens of classmates supporting each other to lead the culture at school. This retreat has especially reminded me that our student body stands together.”

Jesuit’s peer ministers for the 2023-24 school year are: Julian Alonso ’24, Gabriel Brazzeal ’24, Jake Killian ’24, Lucas Lopez ’24, Marvin Martirez ’24, Max Rabenstein ’24, Diego Mejia Omana ’24, Javier Méndez ’24, Nicholas Navascues ’24, James Slack ’24, Bo Bunch ’25, Daniel Dewey ’25, Logan Hardin ’25, Carlos Lamoutte ’25, Tyler Moore ’25, Zayden Saldin ’25, Charlie Muzi ’26, and Nicolas Provenzano ’26.