Special Events from University Ministry and Special Advent Prayers for Families

As the first semester comes to a close, University Ministry reflects on the many successful programs from this Fall and shares its plans for a robust second semester. Be sure to share these great programs with your son or daughter.

COMMUNITY/OUTREACH
Our monthly Bagel Days (first Wednesday of each month) continue to be a success! To celebrate November 4th Founder's Day - the birthday of the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa founder Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli - we added some Fr. Samuel trivia to the usual line-up of bagels, coffee, and juice. We even had a visit from Fr. Samuel himself - played by Professor of Economics Dr. Peter Alonzi, and Dominican graduate student Michael Meranda.



Coming 2nd semester: The launch of our new website! Check back in January and keep up with all the offerings and events from University Ministry through our photo galleries, student blog, and calendar of events.

FAITH FORMATION
University Ministry has been the connecting place for several different student groups on campus - all interested in faith development, Bible study, and faith sharing, but looking for better ways to connect and collaborate. Plans are underway for shared worship and prayer experiences, with involvement from the leadership of Dominican Young Adults (OPYA), Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU), Breaking Open faith sharing group, and the Faith in College Life organizations. 



Coming 2nd semester: The Dominican community is currently gathering students who are interested in sacramental preparation and learning more about the Catholic faith. We are looking forward to walking with these students through their process of Confirmation, or even full initiation into the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation.

LITURGY AND PRAYER
In the month of October, University Ministry partnered with the Organization of Latino American Students (OLA) to assist the students in preparing a Dia de los Muertos prayer service. Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans to pray for and remember those who have died. These celebrations occur in connection with the Catholic Holy Days of All Saints Day and All Souls Day.



Coming 2nd semester: Our liturgical and handbell choirs continue to grow! They will play a major role in our Lenten celebrations, beginning with Ash Wednesday, February 17th, 2010. We will also be saying goodbye to four seniors who have volunteered as Liturgical Coordinators, and who have taken on immense ownership of our weekly Sunday evening student Liturgies. They will be training what we know will four new amazing underclassmen.

RETREATS
New this year in University Ministry is a team of 18 students who have accepted the call to serve in the Student Leadership and Ministry Program. These students have committed to leadership within University Ministry, including spending 5 hours each week in outreach and hospitality to the wider Dominican community. In October they "retreated" to the Cenacle Retreat Center in Chicago for a weekend of community building, leadership development, prayer, and fun. 



Coming 2nd semester: Dominican will be hosting its first Kairos retreat, led by a group of 8 student leaders, February 5th-7th. There are also plans for a Spring Break retreat and service trip - "Mission to the Mound" - held at the Dominican Mound in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.

SERVICE & JUSTICE
In celebration of Fair Trade month, University Ministry hosted a gathering on October 14th to raise awareness about Fair Trade and offer an educational opportunity to learn more about the good it is doing around the world. Students sampled Fair Trade chocolate and coffee, listened to a Fair Trade expert from Catholic Relief Services, and sampled goods from a local Fair Trade store. 



Coming 2nd semester: Students will be sent on mission during several Alternative Break Trips. Locations during Spring Break include Mississippi, Kansas City, West Virginia, and downtown Chicago. New this year is an Alternative Break trip being offered in May, also to West Virginia, immediately following the end of the school year.

For more information about University Ministry, visit us at www.dom.edu/ministry.

Special Advent Prayers
In the hustle and bustle of shopping, decorating, cookie baking, and greeting card writing, Christians who celebrate Christmas can often breeze right through one of the most beautiful liturgical seasons of the Church - Advent. The word Advent, which derives from the Latin word for "coming," is a time for us to be mindful about our preparations for what is to come - and not just preparing gifts, a Christmas tree, or our houses for company. Advent affords us a time to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the coming of Christ, and to focus on prayer, patience, joyful waiting, and care for the poor. To remind us of the many preparations we need to make before Christmas arrives, University Ministry would like to share with you four prayers, one for each of the four weeks of Advent.

May your families be richly blessed this holiday season!

First Sunday of Advent

Prayer for Patience and Watchfulness

Lord God, maker of heaven and earth,
by signs and wonders, great and small,
you prepare us for the fulfillment of your promise,
the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ.

He is the light that will dawn.
He is the bright morning star of justice.
His presence is the sign of your love,
and his grace will increase our love-
for one another and for you.

Grant us patience
as we wait for Christ to come
in the fullness of time.
Help us to see the signs that point to him
and to stay awake so that when he arrives
we will be found watching and ready.

We ask this through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Second Sunday of Advent

Prayer for God's Work in Us
Good and gracious God,
source of all light and joy,
in the beginning, you created us to be your own.
You filled us with grace at our Baptism,
calling us to love and know you.
You helped us to discern what is of value in this life
and to seek out our good in your light.

Continue your work in us, O Lord,
so that we might be renewed in faith
and prepare the way of your Son.
Every day, Lord, continue your work in us,
so that at the coming of Christ Jesus,
we can show forth the glory of your name
and be a sign of your presence on this earth.
We ask this through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Third Sunday of Advent

Prayer of Preparation
Lord God,
you gave John the baptizer courage
to call people to follow your law.
Now we, too, ask: What should we do?

Open our eyes to the wonders of your creation.
Open our ears to hear your voice when you call.
Open our hearts to receive your love.
Lift our voices to proclaim your Gospel throughout the world.
Strengthen our arms to embrace the poor.

Show us, Lord, how to prepare for your coming,
so that, in the end, we may be filled
with the mercy and righteousness of God
and found with our faces upturned toward
your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Prayer of Joyful Waiting
Good and gracious Christ,
you were born far from the seats of power-
out of the way, in the midst of the poor.
Yet even from such humble beginnings
you carried the grace of God, your Father,
to the ends of the earth.

Come and bless us in this waiting time.
Even now, we sense your presence,
and something in us leaps for joy.
As Mary went to Elizabeth,
let us go out to those we meet
to share our joy at your coming.
As Elizabeth cried out in joy and wonder,
let us cry out that we too believe
in God's presence in our very midst
when we least expect it,
and in the most unlikely places.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

© 2009 Liturgy Training Publications. 1-800-933-1800. All prayers written by Mary Katharine Deeley. Illustrated by Clint Hansen.
Permission to publish granted by the Very Reverend John F. Canary, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Chicago, on July 16, 2009.