“I serve because I believe we are all infinitely loved and hand-made by God, so it is our responsibility to care for those on the margins of society who are much too easily ignored and forgotten. We are each wonderfully unique and only by coming together, everyone, can we form the full picture of who our God is and what it truly means to love and be loved.”
– Jake Keyes (he/him) Anchorage, AK ‘24-25
The world’s attention turned to St. Peter’s Square during the conclave this year, with Catholics and non-Catholics alike watching for signs of smoke. Yet on a daily basis, most Americans spend more time checking their phone than they do praying, and non-profits remain concerned about declining rates of volunteerism. While recent data from the Pew Research Center and AmeriCorps offers some hope that the downward trends in both faith and service are slowing, the disconnect between spirituality, service and daily life can still feel stark.
And yet, during the first week of August, as the sun dips behind the trees at Camp Arrah Wanna, you will find dozens of young adults praying and reflecting to the rhythms of the Examen each night. In a noisy world, this intentionality is an act of resistance, and a hopeful glimpse of what is possible.
Throughout the service year, JVs find unique ways to ground themselves in spirituality and reflection:
- JVs lead Spirituality Nights in their homes and bring that leadership to retreat spaces
- Non-Catholic JVs take the opportunity to learn Ignatian spiritual practices and can attend mass during regional retreats
- Catholic JVs explore other spiritual traditions as they engage with the diverse community around them
- Some JVs seek out spiritual directors, while others will take to the trails or the mountains to deepen their inner peace.
- Many will find ways that their service, their pursuit of justice, and their work towards solidarity will connect them to God, to their neighbor, and to a distinct purpose for their lives.
I started spiritual direction somewhat on a whim. I almost signed up and then changed my mind for weeks because I was nervous about my own spiritual “deficits.” I did not grow up in Catholic spaces and was new to the Jesuit ideals. The death of my mother a couple months prior to my JV year was a deeply spiritual experience. For someone who did not consider themselves spiritual, it was a lot to unpack.
Coming into my role as a JV, I craved spiritual guidance even more. It was the first time in a long time that I had given myself space to truly and deeply think about the really big questions of hate, pain, discrimination, politics, and more.
I chose to join a church for the first time ever in my life. The intertwined nature of religion in American politics and unpacking religious trauma as queer person was overwhelming. Tackling these things in addition to my mother’s death felt like an impossible task.
I have been working with my spiritual director now for a year and a half, and I can safely say that it was one of the most transformative experiences of my JV years. I have grown more confident in myself as a spiritual being and am working to understand the strong, beautiful (yet occasionally overwhelming) compassion I hold for the people I serve (and who serve me).
– Hailey Rinella (she/her) Boise, ID ’23-24 & Sitka, AK ‘24-25
What could Spirituality Night look like?
Here is a sample of what one JV – Claire Weber (she/her, Sitka, AK ’24-26) – created and shared with her community.
- Make hot chocolate for everyone, pack marshmallows and thermoses. Borrow a car from a support person. Drive to Heart Lake.
- Once at the lake (pictured below), read “Morning Poem” by Mary Oliver.
- Jump in the lake! It is early October, and that means the water is very crisp. Drink hot chocolate to warm up.
- Once back at JV house, journal and reflect together on these questions: How do you connect yourself to the land and place that we live on? How do you find community on the land here? How do you care for the land? How does the Tongass care for you? Where do you see God or a divine presence in the physical context of Sitka?What parts of the world around you come from God? What specific parts of yourself come from God
- Close with A Prayer for Our Earth —Laudato Si’ 246
Looking for more?
Listen to a unique conversation about the spirituality of being a JV on the Beyond the Habit Podcast. Sisters Erin and Colleen interviewed Cory Johnson (he/him, Boise, ID ‘23-24 & Anchorage, AK ‘24-25) about life in intentional community. Listen here.
Read Cathy Nguyen’s post (she/her, Ashland, MT ’23-25) on her spirituality here. “Slowing down has better allowed me to live out the core value of spirituality, and how I wanted to define my spirituality.”
by Abby King-Kaiser (she/her), Director of Recruitment & Engagement
