Faith Development

Each year, the St. Joseph’s Academy community is guided by a charism theme which supports the vision and mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph and SJA.

2024-2025: We Are All One: Gifted and Transformed in the Spirit
This charism theme calls us to celebrate the unique gifts of each person and all of creation. As a school community, it is also our desire to promote holistic development and uphold human dignity.

2025-2026: Relationships: Sacred Threads that Connect
This charism theme focuses on our care for our community and on reconciliation with God, oneself and others. We are called to be bearers of reconciliation and light in the world.

2026-2027: Leadership: Weave One Heart
This charism theme highlights collaboration and responsibility. As we strive to weave one heart, we are reminded of the first Sisters of St. Joseph who wove lace to support their service to the dear neighbor without distinction.

2027-2028: Great-Hearted Love: Serving the Dear Neighbor
This charism theme calls us to address the needs of the time and all people while working for systemic change to promote a culture of inclusivity and mutuality.

On Mondays, we recite Pope Francis' Prayer to St. Joseph:

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man. 

Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.

Every Wednesday morning, the St. Joseph’s Academy community joins together in this prayer:

Lord Jesus, in the person of St. Joseph, both the simplicity and greatness of life were shown. We pray to you, Joseph, for all members of the Academy community: alumnae, parents, friends, present students and faculty.

Keep us in your tender care, strengthen our faith, heal our sorrows and guide us, finally, to the fullness of joy and peace. We pray in the name of Jesus.  Amen.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
 

While religion and faith development permeate all aspects of St. Joseph’s Academy, theology is taught at each grade level in a classroom setting. All students take a full credit of theology and meet each day. At the beginning of each school day, the entire student body unites in common prayer led by the Student Council president and vice president over the public address system. Each class period begins with prayer. On special days, the school gathers as a community in the Academy Student Center for community prayer. The principal determines these days based on requests.

Retreats
Specified school days are devoted to student reflection, prayer, guidance and discussion. Seniors participate in an out-of-town, two-day retreat. The junior retreat is held on or off campus but within the city. Sophomore and freshman retreats are usually held on campus.

Participation in retreats is required for promotion to the next grade level and to graduate from St. Joseph's Academy. Appointments, extra-curricular activities and travel should not be planned on a student's retreat day(s). These absences will not be excused unless they are part of a school-sponsored event, and approval is given by the campus minister.

All absences, excused or unexcused, must be made up with a full Catholic retreat of equal or greater duration by the last regular day of school (not including exam days). A student who is absent from her grade-level retreat should research a retreat she can attend to fulfill the make-up requirement. She should submit the retreat request to the campus minister for approval. Retreats attended as mandatory elements of preparation of a sacrament (i.e., confirmation retreats) are not eligible to be used to make up a missed grade-level retreat. *Retreats must be in person and intended for high school students.*

Retreat questions should be directed to Campus Minister *Chelsea Colomb at colombc@sjabr.org or (225) 388-2255.*

Community Prayer
As a Catholic school rooted in the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph, daily prayer is important for our faith development. Therefore, the SJA community intentionally pauses after 7th period each day to still our bodies and lift our minds and hearts to God in prayer.

Each Monday, we focus on a maxim, a short spiritual saying that Father Jean-Pierre Medaille, SJ taught to the early Sisters to enrich their souls. We use the modern maxims which are more applicable to today’s young people and pray through the intercession of our patron, St. Joseph.

On Tuesday, we look at those people who courageously died for their faith or who, by their exemplary lives, remind us how to live as modern-day followers of Jesus Christ. We pray for the Holy Saints of the Church to guide us.

Wisdom Wednesday invites us to meditate on our sacred scriptures for reflection and prayer. Using the sacred scriptures, we reflect on our call to be modern disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. We conclude our prayer asking Jesus to guide us.

Intentional intercessory prayer guides us on Thursday as we reflect on the needs of our global world, our nation, our state, our SJA community and our own heart’s intentions. We pray together for compassionate hearts to respond with generosity to the needs of our times.

Friday invites us to do an examen, gathering the graces of the past week. We ponder where and how we had glimpses of God’s grace in our hearts/lives. We reflect on how we have tried to put our yearly charism theme into action throughout the past week and ask for God’s guidance for the weekend.

Our prayer is attuned and shaped by the liturgical seasons of the Church as well as contemporary needs of the times. We invite all members of the Academy community to join us in prayer.

*Eucharistic Adoration is offered bimonthly in the Chapel by the Campus Ministry office during lunch. Student Ministers serve as committed adorers and invite the Academy community to join them in Eucharistic Adoration.*

​School Masses
Throughout the school year, students, faculty and staff come together to celebrate the life they share as a high school community in the liturgy of the Eucharist. School masses are celebrated on special occasions, especially during liturgical seasons such as Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter, and always on holy days of obligation. Dress uniform is required for students at mass. Visitors are welcome to attend any school mass.  
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May Crowning
An assembly is held in late April or early May to celebrate the crowning of Mary.

*Prayer Services
St. Joseph's Academy gathers as a school community for prayer services at Thanksgiving and Easter.*
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Sacrament of Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is made available to students twice during the year *and during their grade-level retreats.*
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Student Ministry
Student Ministry is a club open to juniors and seniors who are interested in growing in discipleship and evangelization in the context of the spirituality and mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph. The charism of the Sisters, since their founding in 1650, has been and continues to be unity, as in oneness, that all may be one in relationship with God and one another. Student ministers are given opportunities to experience spiritual growth and encourage this growth in their peers and the Academy community.

Students who complete the point requirements of the Student Ministry Club during both their junior and seniors years will be recognized at the service assembly at the end of the year.
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Parents Who Pray
Parents participate in this email group and receive confidential prayer requests. Please submit confidential prayer requests to parentswhopray@sjabr.org. Please join our Prayer Warriors as we support our spiritual community. 
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Respect Life Club
This club is committed to a consistent life ethic that respects the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. The club meets monthly and often hosts guest speakers on topics that deal with adding value to the human life. Members sponsor several events including lunchtime events to share Respect Life issues with the school community. Club members also participate in the Bishop's Pro-Life Rally, Louisiana Life March and March for Life in Washington, D.C.
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Wednesday Morning Rosary
Every Wednesday morning at 7 a.m., the Rosary is recited in the Chapel at SJA.
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Service Immersion Trips
The goal of the SJA Service Immersion program is to provide an encounter with Christ in the poor that leads to conversion and propels students to a life of service in their local community. In order to foster an encounter with Christ in the poor whom we serve, students are immersed in prayer and the sacraments during the experience, and relational service is prioritized. After an immersion experience, students are challenged to take what they've learned and invest it in meeting the needs of the Baton Rouge community. Mission/service immersion trips may be offered to students during the school year, including holidays, and summer breaks. Students can do service work *domestically or abroad.* Mission trips are offered according to chaperone availability. In the application process, first priority is given to students who have not yet had the opportunity to participate in an SJA service immersion, and second priority is given to upperclasswomen. Among those who have not attended an immersion trip and have equal seniority, placements will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis. Rising sophomores will not be eligible to participate in international service immersion trips. 

Catholic Leadership Encounter
CLE challenges high school students to develop their God-given leadership abilities anchored in Christian principles. Students participate in team-building activities, outdoor adventures and assessments of the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph and Brothers of the Sacred Heart. They are challenged to develop God-centered responses to practical leadership situations. In addition to spiritual formation, students participate in developing skills in active listening, managing conflicts, consensus building and delegating responsibility. 

The St. Joseph's Academy service program is a vital component of the faith development pillar of the school's mission statement. Our Catholic faith calls each student to serve the dear neighbor as an overflow of the love of God in them. "We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, 'I love God' but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from Him: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." (1 John 4:19-21)

Jesus has identified himself with those most in need in saying, "Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me." (Matthew 25:45) The goal of the SJA service program is to foster an encounter with Christ in those most in need and a desire to sacrifice oneself for them with acts of charity and through the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Students will form sustained interpersonal relationships with the dear neighbor that allow them to see all as created in God's image and likeness and to serve them through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

*The SJA Service Policy states that freshmen and sophomores are required to complete 15 hours of service during the 2024-2025 academic year while juniors and seniors must complete 20 service hours. The 2024-2025 Freshman and Sophomore Service Directory and the 2024-2025 Junior and Senior Service Directory can be found on MySJA, the Service Hour Project Moodle page and the Service Hour Opportunity Teams Channel. Students should review the policies before completing service hours. Students can participate in opportunities outside of those included in the service directories only after receiving written permission via email from the Assistant Campus Minister. All students will use their Mobile Serve account to log service hours. These accounts will be set up during Student Orientation. User guides for the website and cellular application can be found on the Service Hour Project Moodle page. Parents, grandparents and immediate family members cannot verify students service hours.*

All service hours must be done through a non-profit agency or through a for-profit business, with prior written approval, that serves those most in need. Service performed through a for-profit business must be non-clerical in manner. Tasks such as filing, answering the phone, etc., will not be permitted as part of the service program. *SJA and CHS club hours do not roll over at any time, and SJA and CHS club hours must be independent and separate from the SJA service program.*

Visiting with patients in nursing homes or hospice facilities does not need prior approval. All service hours must be done outside of normal school hours. Donations of any kind, including Sticker Sacks, are not eligible for the service program. However, SJA may offer a schoolwide donation opportunity for service hours. SJA reserves the right to limit the number of hours earned on mission trips; hours earned on SJA mission trips will be determined and applied after the trip is complete. This will ensure students receive accurate credit for the number of hours served.

*The 2024-2025 service year for current students began April 9, 2024, and will end on April 9, 2025. Hours must be verified by the supervisor no later than Friday, April 11, 2024.* All service hours must be logged electronically in each student's school-issued MobileServe account. Hard-copy verifications will not be accepted. Failure to complete service hours by the deadline will be examined on a case-by-case basis *and may result in disciplinary action. Seniors must complete their service requirements in order to graduate from SJA, and underclasswomen must complete their service hours in order to take their final exams.*

In conjunction with their senior retreat, members of the senior class participate in a day of service in the Baton Rouge community. This experience serves as an opportunity for the class to give back to the community as a group. Students are assigned to a service site for this day. Senior Service Day is considered part of the senior retreat and is a requirement for graduation.

Please direct questions about service to the Assistant Campus Minister/Service Coordinator.

Class of 2025
*Students will choose one agency whose primary focus is those most in need and will earn 20 hours from their chosen agency.* Approved agencies can be found in the Junior and Senior Service Directory on MySJA, the Service Hour Project Moodle page *and the Service Hour Opportunity Teams Channel.* Students wishing to earn the 50-hour service award must obtain 30 additional hours from *their chosen agency or* any of the approved list of agencies in the Junior and Senior Service Directory whose primary focus is those most in need.

Class of 2026
Students are required to earn *20 hours from agencies whose primary focus is those most in need. Approved agencies can be found in the junior and Senior Service Directory on MySJA, the Service Hour Project Moodle page and the Service Hour Opportunity Teams Channel. Students wishing to earn the 50-hour service award must obtain 30 additional hours from the same approved list of agencies in the Junior and Senior Service Directory whose primary focus is those most in need.*

Class of 2027
Students are required to earn 15 hours. Approved non-profit agencies can be found in the Freshman and Sophomore Service Directory on MySJA, the Service Hour Project Moodle page *and the Service Hour Opportunity Teams Channel.* Students may only participate in opportunities outside of those included in the Service Directory after receiving written permission via email from the Assistant Campus Minister. Students wishing to earn the 50-hour service award must obtain 35 additional hours from the same approved list of agencies in the Freshman and Sophomore Service Directory.

*Class of 2028
Students are required to earn 15 hours. Approved non-profit agencies can be found in the Freshman and Sophomore Service Directory on MySJA, the Service Hour Project Moodle page and the Service Hour Opportunity Teams Channel. Students may only participate in opportunities outside of those included in the Service Directory after receiving written permission via email from the Assistant Campus Minister. Students wishing to earn the 50-hour service award must obtain 35 additional hours from the same approved list of agencies in the Freshman and Sophomore Service Directory.*

Service Hour Award
Class of 2025 and Beyond: To receive the four-year service award, students must complete 50 hours during their freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years.

*Service Exclusions
The SJA Service Policy clearly states what counts towards service program hours. Items listed below do not count towards the service program. This list is not all-inclusive and is subject to change at any time.

1. Sticker Sacks
2. Donations of any kind, which includes but is not limited to buying, preparing and delivering food to a shelter
3. Fundraising
4. Job Shadowing
5. Laundry and cleaning at Friends of the Animals, Cara’s House, Cat Haven, Dante’s Hope, etc.
6. Fostering animals
7. Neighborhood homeowners’ association events and pools; i.e., Tara, Country Club of Louisiana, etc.
8. Club sports teams and pools
9. Political campaigning
10. Any non-SJA/CHS summer camp must have written approval from the Assistant Campus Minister before a student volunteers. SJA’s Sizzling Summer and Summer at CHS do not need pre-approval.
11. Open House for students working for bonus points, ambassador points or any other requirement.
12. Babysitting
13. Any part of the student’s own sacramental preparation, including but not limited to sacramental requirements (i.e. Confirmation retreats, service hours, etc.)
14. Mission trips sponsored by for-profit agencies. If your mission trip is sponsored by a non-profit or your church, you must seek prior approval from the Assistant Campus Minister. Hours earned on mission trips will be determined and applied after the trip is complete.
15. Hours should be completed on a service site; no hours can be completed virtually or at home.
16. SJA and CHS club hours do not roll over at any time and must be independent of the SJA service program.
17. SJA and CHS sports team hours do not roll over at any time and must be independent of the SJA service program.*