Volunteer and Service Opportunities    Spiritual Opportunities    Social Activities

      Volunteer and Service Opportunities

o    Liturgical Ministry

o   We encourage students, faculty and staff of ESU to serve in the Liturgical Ministries as a Sacristan, Usher and Hospitality Minister, Lector or Eucharistic minister during the celebration of Mass. Information and training sessions are provided each semester at the Center.

o   Coordinator: Father Ray   

o    Music Ministry

o   The Center's choir along with cantors and musicians add powerfully to the celebration of the Eucharist.  Informational meetings are held each semester for those interested.  If you can play an instrument or sing and want our prayer to be joyful, then join us in making a song to God.

o   Click here for more information on Music Ministry  

o    Student Advisory Council

o   This is the thing to do if you're a mover and a shaker, and enjoy making decisions. Each Spring, an Advisory Council of students is elected for the coming year. If you want to make a difference, be a part of this policy making and executing board.

o   Contact: the Didde Center 

o    Spring Break Alternative

o   The Didde Center, along with campus groups all over the nation, have an alternative to the usual Padre Island / Daytona Beach Spring Breaks. Journey to struggling areas of the the United States or another country and work with and for the poor. Or travel to a monastery and spend personal time focusing on your spiritual self. Each year different opportunities will be offered.

o   Contact: the Didde Center  

o    Abundant Harvest Food Kitchen

o   Help serve those less fortunate a meal.  You will help setup, serve, and cleanup.  This can be a very rewarding experience because you are also given the opportunity to eat with those that come to the food kitchen and hear their stories that they have to share.  Volunteers meet at Heritage Center which is located at 1028 Whittier.  We help serve at the food kitchen the 2nd Monday of each month.

o   Contact: the Didde Center  

o    CHRISM (REACH)

o  Community Handicapped Religious Instruction by Student Mentors.  With CHRISM, we start each third Thursday of every month with an activity that relates to the Gospel from the previous Sunday.  After the activity is complete, volunteers assist the community to the chapel where Father Ray presides at Mass.  By completing the activity and hearing the Gospel again, this helps the community to fully understand what they are taking part in.  Following the activity, everyone heads to the social hall for dinner and dessert.  If you have been looking for a way  to reach out and get involved in the community, and make a difference in someone else's lives please come to volunteer at the next CHRISM.

o   Contact: the Didde Center 

o    Jesse Tree

o   During Advent, we set up a Jesse tree in the Gathering Space for donations of hats, scarves, gloves and mittens. You can also "adopt" a foster child for Christmas. Adopting entails purchasing gifts for a child that he or she is wanting for Christmas.  These donations go to area organizations like the Catholic Community Services and the Salvation Army to keep children warm.

 

o    Food Drive/Adopt-a-Family

o   The Didde Catholic Campus Center is committed to giving back to our community. Each winter, we conduct a food drive for area organizations to help feed the hungry of Emporia. We help share our wealth by reaching out to financially assist families by adopting them during the Advent days of sacrifice and change. If we want peace and equality, we must work for justice.

 

o    Volunteer Work Day

o   In the spring the Center sets aside a day to assist the Emporia community members who are elderly or disabled and unable to do certain chores alone. We help them with yard work and other jobs around their home. It's a great experience, and a great chance to help.

o    CARE

o   Catholics Actively Reaching Elderly is A program designed to give back to the elderly of our community. During Advent season we adopt people at nursing homes and we go caroling at nursing homes.

 

Volunteer and Service Opportunities    Spiritual Opportunities    Social Activities

      Spiritual Opportunities

                  o    Spiritual Direction

                     o   Spiritual Direction is your opportunity, to meet with a Director to reflect on life as it is being lived, to recognize God's action
                            and remember God's love, and sometimes to discern the next phase of the journey.  Spiritual Direction helps to foster growth
                            in our relationship with God.  It helps us respond to God's self-revelation as we experience it order to deepen our relationship
                            with Him and to live a more integrated life.  Spiritual Direction is held the first Tuesday of every month

o    Rosary and Morning Prayer

o   Every morning, Monday thru Friday, at 7:00AM    

o    Bible Study

o   Bible Study is on Tuesday evenings at 8:00 pm.

 

o    Exposition (Adoration)

o   Eucharistic devotion is time spent in private prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, exposed for adoration outside the celebration of the Mass.  For those who desire to enter into a close relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist, much can be learned from sitting at the feet of the Master in silent prayer. You can come every Wednesday from 6 - 9 PM or sign up to visit Jesus weekly for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

o    Stations of the Cross

o   During the Lenten season Stations of the Cross are held on Thursday evenings.  This is your invitation to step up close to Jesus and follow Him on His way to the Cross. 

 

 

o    Penance Service

o   Twice a year during the Lent and Advent season Didde holds a penance service for everyone to attend.  This is helpful in preparing for Advent and Lent. 

o    Busy Bee Retreat

o   This is a retreat that can fit into anyone's schedule.  Usually on a retreat you pack your bags and go away, but the Busy Bee retreat is designed to bring the retreat to you so that you really don’t have to change the structure of your day. We simply ask that you give one hour a day to reflect on the retreat.   You will be assigned a retreat director on Sunday evening. We then ask you to spend thirty minutes a day, that would be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and then Thursday with your retreat director and then thirty minutes in personal prayer. That can be an hour in consecutive time or you can spend thirty minutes in the morning with your retreat director and then thirty minutes in the evening in prayer however it works into your schedule.  This retreat is held once a year in the spring semester. 

o    Hornet Awakening Retreat

o   This retreat is held once a year in the fall.  It is held at Prairie Star Ranch for the weekend.  You will come back with new friends and a greater insight into your own Catholic faith.  You can sign up to go as a leader or as a participant. 

 

Volunteer and Service Opportunities    Spiritual Opportunities    Social Activities

      Social Activities

o    Dollar Dinners   

o   An ESU organization makes dinner for people following the 7:00 PM Sunday Mass and on Thursday evenings at 6:30 PM.  This dinner will only cost you $1.00.  You cannot pass up this deal.  Come join us for some great food and fellowship. 

o    Fish Fry

o   We have an annual fish fry  during the Lenten season. It is held in the social hall the first Friday of Lent.

 

o    KCCSC   

o   The Kansas Catholic College Student Convention provides students with an opportunity to meet other Catholic students from across the state in a weekend of sharing and learning. Come along and see what an invaluable part of your life faith truly is. It's informative, it's interesting, it's priceless - but most of all, it is fun.  Every year a different Catholic Campus Center hosts this event in February. 

o    Intramurals   

o   Do you enjoy playing sports, but don't like competitive play?  Then joining a Didde intramural team is just for you.  The sports team is very low key, where we just go out there to have a good time.  We have volleyball, basketball, and softball teams.  This is a great way to meet some new people and have fun.  Who can lose with God on their side?

o   Contact: the Didde Center

 

 

Volunteer and Service Opportunities    Spiritual Opportunities    Social Activities