As the holiday season approaches, Good for U — Gannon University’s wellness initiative — looks to continue promoting a culture of wellness here by reminding the campus community to give thanks, and to embrace their spiritual well-being.
Spiritual wellness is the lived experience of being in a relationship with God, which involves the whole self — in body, mind, and soul. When we are spiritually well, we establish peace and harmony in our lives by aligning values with our actions.
As a Catholic institution, Gannon places particular emphasis on this aspect of wellness, and offers many opportunities for the campus community to nurture their spirituality. The Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel offers daily Mass at 12:05 p.m. Monday through Friday at and at 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Sundays.
Delray Davis, resident campus minister, said that Campus Ministry hopes that through these faith services — and the gatherings offered after Sunday evening Mass —they can help guide the campus community on their faith journey.
“We have been getting very intentional, especially for the 9 p.m. Mass, with offering hospitality afterward,” Davis said. “It is one of the biggest things that we do here at campus ministry.
“We are here to help you along your faith journey, not dictate that journey for you.”
Gannon’s Campus Ministry program also offers faith-sharing groups each week. Restore, a Protestant faith-sharing group, meets at 9 p.m. every Wednesday in Beyer Hall. ICTHI, a Roman Catholic faith-sharing group, meets at 8 p.m. every Thursday in the upper lounge of the Student Services Center.
These groups provide discussions on important topics related to spirituality, and are open to students to help them continue their faith journey throughout their collegiate career. In terms of programs to look ahead to, Campus Ministry will be holding an Advent prayer service at 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, in the Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel. This service is meant to prepare the campus community for the Advent season through prayer, music and the Eucharist.
The next installments of Theology on Tap will begin in February. Davis said that this program is unique in that it gathers those who would not usually be as engaged in their faith to discuss important topics during each meeting.
“Theology on Tap really focuses on reaching out to a group of people who wouldn’t normally go to the services that we do, and doing so in a space that they are more comfortable and familiar with,” Davis said.
For more information on how to embrace your spiritual wellness at Gannon, contact Brent Heckman, director of Campus Ministry, at [email protected].
DAVID RUSSO
[email protected]
