It is a well-known fact that students are required to complete 25 hours of Christian service each year, and often, students simply go to organizations or schools, provide service and then leave without really connecting what they have experienced to its effects and to their own faith. Is there a way to combine service and its effects in a way that students can “see it differently”? Well, the new Urban Immersion Retreat hopes to merge the two.

The retreat, organized by campus ministry, will go on its first excursion from Nov. 3 to Nov. 4. Br. John Eustice and Mr. Bart Hisgen will be taking a total of 20 students from the sophomore and junior classes. After school on Nov. 3, they will drive downtown to the Brother David Darst Center, which Saint Viator has partnered with for the retreat. The campus ministry leaders and students will stay at this center for two days, neither of which require missing school.

On the first night, students will participate in their first service activity, which the Brother David Darst Center plans. The group spends a few hours of directly serving the marginalized by helping local agencies in activities such as feeding the homeless and working with youth. Afterwards, the students return to the center and reflect upon what they experienced and how their faith has been affected.

“It is a way to put faith in action and then see where it takes you in your life,” said Br. Eustice.

The group goes to another service site the next day and repeats the process of reflection and prayer. There are group meals and bonding time, too.

Although this retreat is new this year, Campus Ministry has been working to put it together since this past spring. Br. Eustice opted for a more hands-on retreat because he would like students to see what God is trying to do in their lives.

“The way I found the Viatorians was through direct service to poverty,” said Br. Eustice.

Campus ministry reached out to the Brother David Darst Center and put together the retreat which, unlike the other retreats, involves acting on faith through service. It also offers a new way of looking at service because the trip allows students to directly see the effects of their service in the community.

The new retreat’s goal is to show students current local issues and how they can use their faith to contribute to change, as well as getting in about four service hours. Campus Ministry is planning another Urban Immersion Retreat in March 2017 for which students can pick up a form in the Campus Ministry office.

“It is a great idea that will help us understand poverty, and it sounds like a fun way to get service hours,” said sophomore Kiana Resch.