Welcome to the Junior Students Formation and Ministry home page. For additional information on the Junior Program, please contact our Junior Class Chaplain - Ms. Megan Shephard at megan.shepherd@ignatius.org. For a complete faculty and staff contact list, please visit our Contact Info page.

During the Junior Year, students are offered many opportunities to reflect on their journey of faith as disciples of Jesus Christ – a journey of faith, service, learning and growth. As upper-class students, many juniors begin to take on leadership roles in clubs, sports, and retreats. In their Religious Studies course “Images of Humanity” they explore the big questions of human nature, ethical theories, and the practical implications for their daily lives. On Junior Retreat, “A Disciple’s Journey” students have the opportunity to share in conversation, activities, and prayer with classmates and retreat leaders as they reflect on their journey through high school. As they grow in their understanding of discipleship, they have the opportunity to imitate Christ through their service to the poor and the marginalized. In the spring, juniors and their families gather for the Junior Family Liturgy to celebrate their journey at Saint Ignatius and bless their class rings.

Junior Class Liturgy:

The Junior Family Liturgy on Sunday March 7, 2010 in Holy Family Church at 1:00pm will be an opportunity for juniors and their families to join together in celebration of their relationships with classmates, the support of their families, and their journey of faith in Christ.

Juniors plan all aspects of the liturgy and serve as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, ushers and gift bearers. During the liturgy, the class rings are blessed as a symbol of their time and growth at Saint Ignatius College Prep. Class rings will be distributed at the reception in the Dining Hall hosted by the Parents Organization which follows the liturgy.

Junior Retreat

Junior retreats are overnight retreats led by adult teams at the Carmelite Spirituality Retreat Center in Darien, IL. Junior retreat complements the junior religion classes with two full days of personal prayer, group reflection, community building, celebration of the Eucharist and Reconciliation. The juniors have time for private reflection and prayer, as well as discussion and sharing of concerns and hopes. Just as private prayer is a special way of encountering God, so is time for sharing. In this special way, the “Word of God” is being formulated and spoken through some of God’s greatest creations – your sons and daughters.

Dates for Junior Retreat

Location: Carmelite Spiritual Center, Darien 8433 Bailey Rd Darien, IL 60561-4597 Ph. (630) 969-4141
Leave morning of 1st day and return at about 3:30 p.m. the following afternoon (2 full class days missed)
Thurs –Fri ~ September 17-18, 2009
Wed - Thurs ~ Sept 30-October 1, 2009
Thurs – Fri ~ November 5-6, 2009
Thurs – Fri ~ December 10-11, 2009
Thurs – Fri ~ January 28-29, 2010
Thurs – Fri ~ February 18-19, 2010
Thurs – Fri ~ March 18-19, 2010

Leadership Training:

Juniors serve as leaders in many different settings within the SICP community: sports, retreat teams, extra-curricular clubs and activities. The Student Ignatian Leadership Seminar (SILS) is a three day workshop designed to prepare students who have been called to serve as Ignatian leaders by increasing their understanding of Christian principles, deepening their Ignatian Spirituality, and enhancing their leadership skills. There are three SILS programs during the year: January, June and August.

Dates for SILS

January 15-17, 2010 & June 4-6, 2010

Junior Kairos

A general overview of the Kairos Program can be found on the Senior Formation & Ministry page. Because space is limited in our Kairos program, juniors are strongly encouraged to inquire about this early spiritual opportunity.

This retreat is open only to members of the Class of 2011 and is scheduled for June 8 – 11, 2010.

Summer Immersion Projects

During the past summer, Saint Ignatius College Prep provided opportunities for more than 120 rising seniors on Summer Service Projects. The site locations extend from Chicago to Guatemala. The Senior Class Chaplain and student trip veterans visit junior religion classes early in the second semester with oral and visual presentations. For more information, please feel welcome contact the Senior Class Chaplain at adrienne.mcardle@ignatius.org.

Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC)

Grounded in a faith that does justice, this co-curricular service organization limits its general membership to students in the junior and senior classes. Facilitated by a junior/senior executive board (and moderated by the Senior Class Chaplain), IVC members drive the following annual events:

Halloween Party
Outreach to neighborhood youth, featuring a haunted house

Hunger Awareness Month
Mid-November through mid-December
Activities and education aimed at local and global needs

A Semester of Peace and Justice
Devotes all second semester activities to bring greater awareness of people and systems operating both inside and outside of just and peaceful societies (historic/current, local and global)

Collaborative Efforts
Works in partnership with Students Committed to Social Action
Provides support and student leadership for school wide Mission Collections