2021-22 Formation Programs
Our formation programs in Campus Ministry, Christian Service and Global Education are critical components of our mission to form leaders in faith, scholarship and service. While the pandemic changed the way these programs operated last year, we were pleased to offer our students new opportunities to grow in faith, their commitment to service and global awareness and competency.
We are pleased in the coming year to offer again many of the programs we were unable to last year, while keeping some of the new and innovative programs our staff developed during the pandemic. Below is a brief overview of our formation programs for the 2021-22 school year. You will find a complete description of each program at the links to each programs’ landing page.
We look forward to the opportunity to continue to engage our students and families in our mission of faith, scholarship and service.
Best regards,
Brian Carney
Vice President for Mission Integration and Planning
Campus Ministry
Christian Service / Service Immersion Trips
Global Education
Parent Programs
Campus Ministry
Campus Ministry’s core mission is to support the faith development of all students of the Fordham Prep community. As we enter into the 2021-22 academic year plan to offer our complete retreat program for all four years and additional faith formation opportunities.
Retreat and Faith Formation Programs
Freshmen: One very important event that will take place in freshman year is our annual Freshman Retreat. For years this has been one of the highlights of the year for the class. It is an opportunity for your son to get to know his classmates and upperclassmen better, and to explore the role faith plays in his life. We have found that it is a moment that helps freshmen really feel at home at the Prep.
The 2021-22 Freshman Retreat will take place on March 31, April 1 and 2. The retreat activities include an after-school session on Thursday, March 31 from 2:30-6:30 pm and an overnight from Friday, April 1 at 8:30 am to Saturday, April 2 at 11 am. The retreat is mandatory for all freshmen so we ask that you plan accordingly for the upcoming year. We will send further details about the retreat throughout the year.
Sophomores: Sophomores are invited to attend the Discovery Retreat. These three-day retreats are designed to afford sophomores the time to take a step back from their daily lives and are focused on discovery of self, others and God in one’s life. The retreats offer a wide range of activities from reflection and prayer to sports and hiking. The retreats are led by a team of seniors, and faculty.
Currently dates for Discovery retreats are: November 3-5, December 15-17, February 2-4 and April 11-13. Sign-ups will occur once school begins.
Juniors: We are pleased to offer 7 Emmaus retreats this year for juniors. The Emmaus Retreat provides an opportunity for a student to become more aware of himself along with his human and Christian potential. It offers a setting to explore the meaning of his life, his relationships with family, friends, and the Lord, and his responsibilities within the Christian community for mature choices and personal growth. The fall retreats this year will be reserved for seniors who were unable to participate last year. The remaining retreats will be open to juniors. Registration will take place through mentor groups in September. The dates are as follows: December 7-9, January 25-26, February 8-10, March 1-3, March 14-16, April 5-7, and April 26-28.
Seniors: For Seniors unable to attend Emmaus last year, we will be offering the opportunity to participate this fall. Registration will take place in September. The retreat dates are as follows: September 28-30, October 19-21, October 26-28, and November 15-17
In addition seniors are invited to attend the Senior Ad Amorem Retreat which will take place February 16-18. Sign-ups will take place once school begins.
Prayer and Liturgical Ministries/Opportunities
Liturgical Celebrations: This year we will continue to celebrate our school-wide community Masses throughout the year; each planned by a Liturgy Committee made up of faculty and students. We anticipate full in-person participation but will await full guidance from the NYC Department of Health.
Daily Prayer/Virtual Prayer Group and Intentions: We will continue to offer student-led morning prayer, opportunities to submit prayer intentions virtually, and all will once again be invited to be a part of a prayer team to pray for intentions submitted by members of the Prep community. Parents and students are invited to register for the prayer team here. You can submit prayer intentions here.
Reconciliation Services are again being planned for each grade during Advent and Lent.
Social Justice and Outreach
The Social Justice Committee is a voluntary group open to all students and faculty/staff interested in justice issues. The committee serves as the leader in educating the Prep community on specific justice issues. They meet before school to plan assemblies, special events, and lobbying and letter writing efforts related to current legislation. In the past they have focused on issues such as Environmental Sustainability, Immigration, Poverty, and Human Trafficking. Interested students can contact Dr. Martin Carney (carneym@fordhamprep.org) to join the committee.
The Just Serve Club, a subgroup of the Campus Ministry Board, is a voluntary group open to all students. The goal of the group is to learn about justice issues and how Catholic Social Teaching impacts our understanding of these issues. Armed with this knowledge the group plans service and advocacy projects related to these justice issues. The group meets in the Ministry Center on E-days during activities period. Interested students can contact Mr. Kravatz (kravatzm@fordhamprep.org) to join.
The Ignatian Family Teach-in, held in Washington DC on November 6-8, brings together students and faculty from Jesuit high schools and colleges throughout the country. This event, sponsored by the Ignatian Solidarity Network, invites participants to reflect on various justice issues and learn skills to do effective advocacy work. Limited space is available and will be open to members of the social justice committee first.
Michael Kravatz (Director of Campus Ministry)
CHRISTIAN SERVICE/SERVICE IMMERSION TRIPS
The Prep’s Christian Service Program was in full Ignatian “adaptability” mode last year and was able to offer many meaningful service opportunities despite a suspension of direct in-person service. We are pleased in-person service returned this summer with students traveling to Camden and Tennessee and volunteering at many local agencies.
In the coming school year freshmen and sophomores will participate in projects organized within their mentor groups under the guidance of their mentor; freshmen will focus on the theme of charity and sophomores will focus on justice-centered projects. Juniors will be required to complete 15 hours of service, with at least seven of those hours performed in or through the Prep. Seniors will transition back to a 70 hours of service at an approved local agency. The Service Program will work closely with seniors and sites to help with placements. A complete overview of the requirements for each year can be found here.
Mr. Paul Homer (Director, Christian Service Program)
homerp@fordhamprep.org
Christian Service Immersion Trips
We were pleased to once again offer a limited number of service immersion trips this past summer. Rising juniors traveled to Camden, New Jersey to partner with the Romero Center doing service work with several local agencies. Four different groups of rising seniors traveled to Tennessee and partnered with Appalachia Habitat for Humanity to build a home for a family in need.
Next summer we look forward to offering our full program which also includes a trip to Quito Ecuador for rising juniors to work with the Working Boys’ Center. Rising juniors and seniors will again be offered the opportunity to partner with Habitat in Tennessee and a small number of rising sophomores will work with the Romero Center in Camden.
More information about applying for these programs will be made available to students and parents in the fall.
Nelson Ritter (Coordinator of Christian Service Immersion Program)
rittern@fordhamprep.org
Brian Sullivan (Assistant Coordinator)
sullivanbr@fordhamprep.org
GLOBAL EDUCATION
During a year when international travel was not possible, our Global Education program found new and innovative ways to continue to help our students grow in their awareness of the world and in global competency. One of the new programs developed was our Global Scholar program which will continue this upcoming year.
We are pleased that we will be able to resume international travel this school year with the following programs planned:
- Exchange with Clongowes Woods College in Kildare, Ireland
- Exchange with Leo XIII Institute in Milan, Italy
- Exchange with St, Ignatius School in Kigali, Rwanda
- Cultural Trip to French Speaking Canada
- Mexico Cultural Journey
- Cuba Cultural Journey
- Rosanna Estrella Ecology Program: Galapagos Conservation Expedition
Complete program descriptions, estimated costs and travel dates can be found here. Students and parents will be provided with more information about how to apply for these programs in late September.
Please note that If your son intends to apply for an international there are currently long wait times for passport renewals and new applications. Your son’s passport must be valid for at least 6 months prior to his return date to the United States.
Teresa Di Vita-Geremia (Coordinator of Global Education)
Pierre Chavez (Assistant Coordinator)
chavezp@fordhamprep.org
PARENT PROGRAMS
Each year we offer a number of programs for parents to engage our mission of faith and service. You can find a full listing of those programs in the Ignatian Ministries section of the Prep website.
On May 20, 2021, the Society of Jesus and the entire Ignatian family began the worldwide celebration of the Ignatian Year. On that same date, exactly 500 years ago, St. Ignatius was wounded by a cannonball while defending the city of Pamplona. For him, it was a major failure and forced a change of plans from the riches and worldly exploits he had envisioned for his future. However, this failure also started a process of conversion, which led Ignatius to bigger dreams, no longer centered on himself, but rather on God. It helped him to see all things new in Christ. We celebrate this year to remind us of the daily opportunity to experience conversion. It is a call to allow the Lord to reveal to us new ways of following Christ.
In addition to some special programs throughout the year, to celebrate the Ignatian Year the Prep is offering parents and alumni the opportunity to participate in a 7-day Pilgrimage in Spain. The program includes visits to places that were pivotal to St. Ignatius’ own journey – Loyola, Xavier, Montserrat, Manresa, and Barcelona. Our program weaves together historical, cultural, and religious sites and activities with time to explore and savor the land, customs, and food of this majestic land. Learn more and register here.
Campus Ministry christian service program CHRISTIAN service immersion trips