LIFE (Living In Faith Experience) is a national faith formation program for high school students rooted in Catholic and Marianist tradition. Based on the founders’ vision for building a community of communities to change the world, LIFE provides Marianist and non-Marianist institutions opportunities for communities of faith to form, grow, and flourish. There are approximately 40 institutions actively involved with LIFE in ten different states, Puerto Rico, and Ireland.
Mission
We are a small Faith community of disciples committed to Mary’s mission of bringing Christ to the world. Rooted in community, sacraments, and prayer, we are called to grow in faith and to build and strengthen our Marianist family. We are LIFE!
Meetings
Our community meets once per month on the first or second Wednesday, from 6-8:30pm in the LIFE room at Gross Catholic. All students are welcome. LIFE meetings are loaded with fun, food, faith and friendliness. 2017 Meetings are on August 30 with a theme of “Trust.” September 13th which focuses on the topic, “Teamwork makes the dreamwork!” On October 11, the group topic is, “Anxiety.” Of course, on November 15, we talk about, “Gifts from God.” The final LIFE meeting of the year has the theme, “Christmas around the world”, and meets on December the 13th.
The Gross Catholic student LIFE Community seeks to…
- Give students an experience of God and bring God to life in all aspects of spirituality: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual
- Provide an experience of Christian community and develop the skills for building Christian community
- Introduce the Marianist mission and charisms
- Invite us to a deeper personal relationship with God and communal faith through a variety of experiences
- Show us that Christian living is joyful, fun-filled, and life-giving
- Develop the knowledge, beliefs, values, and skills for servant leadership and service in our Church, our community, and our world
- Have FUN together and enjoy each other in the Marianist LIFE Community!
Become a follower of Gross Catholic Marianist LIFE!
Follow us on Twitter: @gcmarianistLIFE
2019-2020
All students are welcome at Marianist LIFE meetings and events. Working with LIFE moderators, meetings and discussion topics are planned by the Core Leadership Team, generally junior and seniors. The Core Team students are committed to modeling the Marianist charisms, illustrating leadership skills, and growing in their spirituality while sharing their faith with their classmates.
LIFE Meeting Schedules
August:
LIFE Meeting: 8/28
Theme: Friendships
September:
LIFE Meeting: 9/18
Theme: Creation
October:
LIFE Meeting: 10/16
Theme: Future
November:
Hope Totes: 11/1-11-26
LIFE Meeting: 11/7
Theme: Attitude of Gratitude
Delivering Hope Totes: 11/27
December:
LIFE Meeting: 12/4
Theme: Healthy Living
Core Team Retreat: 12/20-21
January:
LIFE Meeting: 1/15
Theme: Marianist Breakdown
Founders Week: 1/20-24
February:
LIFE Meeting: 2/5
March:
LIFE Meeting: 3/5
April:
LIFE Meeting: 4/29
May:
LIFE Meeting: 5/6
The Marianist LIFE summer program is a faith formation experience for high school students and their moderators. Moderators (campus ministers, youth ministers, teachers, adult volunteers, etc.) attend Moderator Days prior to the students arrival to learn about Marianist LIFE and the summer program, in addition to building and modeling communities of faith. The students arrive for a week-long experience of small faith communities, sacraments, prayer, leadership development, retreat, and social justice education.
Gross Catholic Student Core Team students and their MLC faculty leaders attend the program each July at the Bergamo Retreat Center in Dayton, Ohio.